| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Salome by Oscar Wilde: SALOME. Le prophete . . . est-ce un vieillard?
PREMIER SOLDAT. Non, princesse, c'est un tout jeune homme.
SECOND SOLDAT. On ne le sait pas. Il y en a qui disent que c'est
Elie?
SALOME. Qui est Elie?
SECOND SOLDAT. Un tres ancien prophete de ce pays, princesse.
UN ESCLAVE. Quelle reponse dois-je donner au tetrarque de la part
de la princesse?
LA VOIX D'IOKANAAN. Ne te rejouis point, terre de Palestine, parce
que la verge de celui qui te frappait a ete brisee. Car de la race
du serpent il sortira un basilic, et ce qui en naitra devorera les
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Island Nights' Entertainments by Robert Louis Stevenson: "I know," says I, "but it happens I was addressing myself to you,
Mr. Black Jack. And all I want to know is just this: did you see
Case's figurehead about a week ago?"
"No, Sah," says he.
"That's all right, then," says I; "for I'll show you the own
brother to it, only black, in the inside of about two minutes."
And I began to walk towards him, quite slow, and my hands down;
only there was trouble in my eye, if anybody took the pains to
look.
"You're a low, obstropulous fellow, Sab," says he.
"You bet!" says I.
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Hero of Our Time by M.Y. Lermontov: I will go away myself -- I am not a slave, I am
a prince's daughter!' . . .
"I tried to talk her over.
"'Listen, Bela. You see it is impossible for him
to stop in here with you for ever, as if he was
sewn on to your petticoat. He is a young man
and fond of hunting. Off he'll go, but you will
find that he will come back; and, if you are
going to be unhappy, you will soon make him
tired of you.'
"'True, true!' she said. 'I will be
|
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 Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay: his body neither as friend nor foe but simply because it happened to
be the direct road to its objective elsewhere. But, although it had
no hostile intentions, it was likely to prove a rough traveller - he
was clearly conscious that its passage through his body threatened to
bring about some physical transformation, unless he could do
something to prevent it. Leaping quickly out of the water, he leaned
against a rock, tightened his muscles, and braced himself against the
impending charge. At that very moment the blurring again attacked
his sight, and, while he was guarding against that, his forehead
sprouted out into a galaxy of new eyes. He put his hand up and
counted six, in addition to his old ones.
|
