| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Four Arthurian Romances by Chretien DeTroyes: (Vv. 3663-3930.) Erec goes off at full speed down a road between
two hedgerows--he and his wife with him. Both putting spurs to
their horses, they rode until they came to a meadow which had
been mown. After emerging from the hedged enclosure they came
upon a drawbridge before a high tower, which was all closed about
with a wall and a broad and deep moat. They quickly pass over
the bridge, but had not gone far before the lord of the place
espied them from up in his tower. About this man I can tell you
the truth: that he was very small oś stature, but very courageous
of heart. When he sees Erec cross the bridge, he comes down
quickly from his tower, and on a great sorrel steed of his he
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Enemies of Books by William Blades: as waste paper all the Protestant and Liberal Catholic newspapers,
pamphlets and books, the price of which is offered to the Pope as
`Deniers de St. Pierre.' Of course, this Society is very little known
among Protestants, and many have denied even its existence; but I have been
fortunate enough to obtain a printed circular issued by one of the Bishops
containing statistics of the astounding mass of paper thus collected.
producing in one district alone the sum of L1,200 in three months. I need
not tell you that this work is strongly promoted by the Catholic clergy.
You can have no idea of the difficulty we now have in procuring certain
books published but 30, 40, or 50 years ago of an ephemeral character.
Historical and theological books are very rare; novels and poetry of that
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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 Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar by Edgar Rice Burroughs: into his presence.
"Greetings, O Brother!" he said.
"Greetings!" replied Werper.
For a while neither spoke further. The Arab was the
first to break the silence.
"And my master, Achmet Zek, was well when last you saw
him?" he asked.
"Never was he safer from the sins and dangers of
mortality," replied the Belgian.
"It is well," said Mohammed Beyd, blowing a little puff
of blue smoke straight out before him.
Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar |
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 A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift: helpless infants who, as they grow up, either turn thieves for
want of work, or leave their dear native country, to fight for
the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes.
I think it is agreed by all parties, that this prodigious number
of children in the arms, or on the backs, or at the heels of
their mothers, and frequently of their fathers, is in the present
deplorable state of the kingdom, a very great additional
grievance; and therefore whoever could find out a fair, cheap and
easy method of making these children sound and useful members of
the common-wealth, would deserve so well of the publick, as to
have his statue set up for a preserver of the nation.
A Modest Proposal |
