| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift: his calculations. But, if what I told him were true, he was still
at a loss how a kingdom could run out of its estate, like a
private person." He asked me, "who were our creditors; and where
we found money to pay them?" He wondered to hear me talk of such
chargeable and expensive wars; "that certainly we must be a
quarrelsome people, or live among very bad neighbours, and that
our generals must needs be richer than our kings." He asked,
what business we had out of our own islands, unless upon the
score of trade, or treaty, or to defend the coasts with our
fleet?" Above all, he was amazed to hear me talk of a mercenary
standing army, in the midst of peace, and among a free people.
Gulliver's Travels |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from King Lear by William Shakespeare: And I'll repair the misery thou dost bear
With something rich about me. From that place
I shall no leading need.
Edg. Give me thy arm.
Poor Tom shall lead thee.
Exeunt.
Scene II.
Before the Duke of Albany's Palace.
Enter Goneril and [Edmund the] Bastard.
Gon. Welcome, my lord. I marvel our mild husband
Not met us on the way.
King Lear |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Master of Ballantrae by Robert Louis Stevenson: their comrades to "stand back and hear what the gentleman had to
say." The Master had not flinched before their onslaught; nor, at
this proof of the ground he had gained, did he betray the least
sufficiency.
"Do not let us be in haste," says he. "Meat first and public
speaking after."
With that they made a hasty meal: and as soon as it was done, the
Master, leaning on one elbow, began his speech. He spoke long,
addressing himself to each except Harris, finding for each (with
the same exception) some particular flattery. He called them
"bold, honest blades," declared he had never seen a more jovial
|
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 Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs: of the blacks, hidden away in his own jungle, and with not a
single house as large as his own cabin upon the distant beach.
He saw that these people were more wicked than his own apes,
and as savage and cruel as Sabor, herself. Tarzan began
to hold his own kind in low esteem.
Now they had tied their poor victim to a great post near
the center of the village, directly before Mbonga's hut, and
here they formed a dancing, yelling circle of warriors about
him, alive with flashing knives and menacing spears.
In a larger circle squatted the women, yelling and beating
upon drums. It reminded Tarzan of the Dum-Dum, and so he
Tarzan of the Apes |
