And, surely, this doth seem but a sane thinking unto me; but yet without proof, and to be said to you, only… — William Hope Hodgson

We truly to think that the world doth even now be old; and this to have seemed a true thing unto every age that ever did live.

And mayhap there to be no mystery in the thing; but a score of natural explainings, if that I did know, or had patience to think long enough upon such.

And truly, I to hope that I have made this thing somewise clear unto you; for, indeed, it doth be something hard to set out; for every Age hath the subtleties peculiar to that Age; and these to be hard to the understanding of other Ages, but yet to seem plain and utter natural, even without thought, unto the Peoples of the Age.