| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas: Rosa obeyed, for the Prince was fixing his eyes upon her,
but he had scarcely turned them again to his paper when she
bashfully retired to the door.
The Prince finished his letter.
During this time, the greyhound went up to Rosa, surveyed
her and began to caress her.
"Ah, ah!" said William to his dog, "it's easy to see that
she is a countrywoman of yours, and that you recognise her."
Then, turning towards Rosa, and fixing on her his
scrutinising, and at the same time impenetrable glance, he
said, --
The Black Tulip |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot: the 'longshore' or 'dory' fisherman, who returns at nightfall.
253. _V._ Goldsmith, the song in _The Vicar ofWakefield_.
257. _V. The Tempest_, as above.
264. The interior of St. Magnus Martyr is to my mind one of
the finest among Wren's interiors. See _The Pro-posed Demolition
of Nineteen City Churches_ (P. S. King & Son, Ltd.).
266. The Song of the (three) Thames-daughters begins here.
From line 202 to 306 inclusive they speak in turn.
_V. Gotterdammerung_, III. i: the Rhine-daughters.
279. _V._ Froude, ELIZABETH, vol. I, ch. iv, letter of De Quadra
to Philip of Spain:
The Waste Land |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Love and Friendship by Jane Austen: Descendants! This I am certain is Philander the son of my
Laurina's 3d girl the amiable Bertha; there wants now but the
presence of Gustavus to compleat the Union of my Laurina's Grand-
Children."
"And here he is; (said a Gracefull Youth who that instant entered
the room) here is the Gustavus you desire to see. I am the son
of Agatha your Laurina's 4th and youngest Daughter," "I see you
are indeed; replied Lord St. Clair--But tell me (continued he
looking fearfully towards the Door) tell me, have I any other
Grand-children in the House." "None my Lord." "Then I will
provide for you all without farther delay--Here are 4 Banknotes
Love and Friendship |
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 Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: forest, and guided only by the inspiration of his own loyal heart,
found again his treasure, and found it still unstained and his own.
"Who can describe the joy, and who again the terror, of their
meeting? The Indian women had fled in fear, and for the short ten
minutes that the lovers were left together, life, to be sure, was
one long kiss. But what to do they knew not. To go inland was to
rush into the enemy's arms. He would have swum with her across the
river, and attempted it; but his strength, worn out with hunger and
travel, failed him; he drew her with difficulty on shore again, and
sat down by her to await their doom with prayer, the first and last
resource of virtuous ladies, as weapons are of cavaliers.
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