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Many writers have included these spirits among the elemental, and indeed they are the elemental (or perhaps, to speak more accurately, the animals) of a higher evolution. Though much more^highly developed than our elemental essence, they have yet certain characteristics in common with it ; for example, they also are divided into seven great classes, inhabiting respectively the same seven states of matter already mentioned as permeated by the corre- sponding varieties of the essence. Thus, to take those which are most readily comprehensible to us, there are spirits of the earth, water, air, and fire (or ether)— definite intelligent astral entities residing and functioning irt each of those media.
It may be asked how it is possible for any kind of creature to inhabit the solid sfnbstance of a rock, or of the crust of the earth. The answer is that since the nature- spirits are formed of astral matter, the substance of the rock is no hindrance to their motion or their vision, artd furthermore physical matter in its solid £(ate is their natural element—the only one to which they are accustomed and in which they feel at home. The same is of course true of those who live in water, air, or ether.