| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Dark Lady of the Sonnets by George Bernard Shaw: ever. "I loved the man," says Ben, "this side idolatry, as well as
any." Now why in the name of common sense should he have made that
qualification unless there had been, not only idolatry, but idolatry
fulsome enough to irritate Jonson into an express disavowal of it?
Jonson, the bricklayer, must have felt sore sometimes when Shakespear
spoke and wrote of bricklayers as his inferiors. He must have felt it
a little hard that being a better scholar, and perhaps a braver and
tougher man physically than Shakespear, he was not so successful or so
well liked. But in spite of this he praised Shakespear to the utmost
stretch of his powers of eulogy: in fact, notwithstanding his
disclaimer, he did not stop "this side idolatry." If, therefore, even
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Tapestried Chamber by Walter Scott: made inquiries concerning the proprietor of the chateau which had
so attracted his admiration, and was equally surprised and
pleased at hearing in reply a nobleman named, whom we shall call
Lord Woodville. How fortunate! Much of Browne's early
recollections, both at school and at college, had been connected
with young Woodville, whom, by a few questions, he now
ascertained to be the same with the owner of this fair domain.
He had been raised to the peerage by the decease of his father a
few months before, and, as the General learned from the landlord,
the term of mourning being ended, was now taking possession of
his paternal estate in the jovial season of merry, autumn,
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Black Beauty by Anna Sewell: and let him slip off behind -- that was all. He mounted me again,
and I did the same. Then the other boy got up, and as soon
as he began to use his stick I laid him on the grass, and so on,
till they were able to understand -- that was all. They are not bad boys;
they don't wish to be cruel. I like them very well; but you see
I had to give them a lesson. When they brought me to James and told him
I think he was very angry to see such big sticks. He said they were only fit
for drovers or gypsies, and not for young gentlemen."
"If I had been you," said Ginger, "I would have given those boys a good kick,
and that would have given them a lesson."
"No doubt you would," said Merrylegs; "but then I am not quite such a fool
|
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley: some land once to the westward, from which the different sorts of
heath spread south-eastward to the Cape, and north-eastward into
Europe. And that they came north-eastward into Europe seems
certain; for there are no heaths in America or Asia.
But how north-eastward?
Think. Stand with your face to the south and think. If a thing
comes from the south-west--from there, it must go to the north-
east-towards there. Must it not?
Oh yes, I see.
Now then--The farther you go south-west, towards Spain, the more
kinds of heath there are, and the handsomer; as if their original
|
