| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Several Works by Edgar Allan Poe: In an assembly of phantasms such as I have painted, it may
well be supposed that no ordinary appearance could have excited
such sensation. In truth the masquerade licence of the night was
nearly unlimited; but the figure in question had out-Heroded Herod,
and gone beyond the bounds of even the prince's indefinite decorum.
There are chords in the hearts of the most reckless which cannot be
touched without emotion. Even with the utterly lost, to whom life
and death are equally jests, there are matters of which no jest can
be made. The whole company, indeed, seemed now deeply to feel that
in the costume and bearing of the stranger neither wit nor
propriety existed. The figure was tall and gaunt, and shrouded
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Salome by Oscar Wilde: est plus grand que le mystere de la mort. Il ne faut regarder que
l'amour.
HERODE. Elle est monstrueuse, ta fille, elle est tout e fait
monstrueuse. Enfin, ce qu'elle a fait est un grand crime. Je suis
sur que c'est un crime contre un Dieu inconnu.
HERODIAS. J'approuve ce que ma fille a fait, et je veux rester ici
maintenant.
HERODE [se levant] Ah! l'epouse incestueuse qui parle! Viens! Je
ne veux pas rester ici. Viens, je te dis. Je suis sur qu'il va
arriver un malheur. Manasse, Issachar, Ozias, eteignez les
flambeaux. Je ne veux pas regarder les choses. Je ne veux pas que
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Reminiscences of Tolstoy by Leo Tolstoy: The fifth, Masha [Mary] is two years old, the one whose
birth nearly cost Sonya her life. A weak and sickly child. Body
white as milk, curly white hair; big, queer blue eyes, queer by
reason of their deep, serious expression. Very intelligent and
ugly. She will be one of the riddles; she will suffer, she will
seek and find nothing, will always be seeking what is least
attainable.
The sixth, Peter, is a giant, a huge, delightful baby in a
mob-cap, turns out his elbows, strives eagerly after something.
My wife falls into an ecstasy of agitation and emotion when she
holds him in her arms; but I am completely at a loss to
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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 Rinkitink In Oz by L. Frank Baum: boats paused, with their glittering oars pointed into
the air like gigantic uplifted sabres, while the people
of Pingaree -- men, women and children -- stood upon
the shore shouting a royal farewell to the jolly King.
Then came a sudden hush, while Rinkitink stood up
and, with a bow to those assembled to witness his
departure, sang the following song, which he had just
composed for the occasion.
"Farewell, dear Isle of Pingaree --
The fairest land in all the sea!
No living mortals, kings or churls,
Rinkitink In Oz |
