| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy: to plow his summer-fallow, but I made the soil so hard that the
plow could scarcely penetrate it. I thought the Fool would not
succeed, but he started to work nevertheless. Moaning with pain,
he still continued to labor. I broke one plow, but he replaced
it with another, fixing it securely, and resumed work. Going
beneath the surface of the ground I took hold of the plowshares,
but did not succeed in stopping Ivan. He pressed so hard, and
the colter was so sharp, that my hands were cut; and despite my
utmost efforts, he went over all but a small portion of the
field."
He concluded with: "Come, brothers, and help me, for if we do not
The Kreutzer Sonata |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Woman and Labour by Olive Schreiner: and the day of David with his harp and skilfully constructed sling is
coming near and yet nearer.
The qualities which give an animal, a race, or an individual, a higher
utility or social dominance must always be influenced by any change in the
environment. As the wheel of life slowly revolves, that which was lowest
comes continually uppermost, and that which was dominant becomes
subservient.
It is possible, that women, after countless ages, during which that smaller
relative development in weight and muscularity which is incident to almost
all females which suckle their young, and that lesser desire for pugilism
inherent in almost all females who bear their young alive, rendered her
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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 A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: Not that I know of, quoth I, with an air of indifference. - Then
CERTES, replied he, you'll be sent to the Bastile or the Chatelet
AU MOINS. - Poo! said I, the King of France is a good natur'd soul:
- he'll hurt nobody. - CELA N'EMPECHE PAS, said he - you will
certainly be sent to the Bastile to-morrow morning. - But I've
taken your lodgings for a month, answer'd I, and I'll not quit them
a day before the time for all the kings of France in the world. La
Fleur whispered in my ear, That nobody could oppose the king of
France.
PARDI! said my host, CES MESSIEURS ANGLOIS SONT DES GENS TRES
EXTRAORDINAIRES; - and, having both said and sworn it, - he went
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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 Shakespeare's Sonnets by William Shakespeare: Others, but stewards of their excellence.
The summer's flower is to the summer sweet,
Though to itself, it only live and die,
But if that flower with base infection meet,
The basest weed outbraves his dignity:
For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;
Lilies that fester, smell far worse than weeds.
XCV
How sweet and lovely dost thou make the shame
Which, like a canker in the fragrant rose,
Doth spot the beauty of thy budding name!
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