| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Kenilworth by Walter Scott: society. And it seems to be, under your Grace's favour, far less
than safe to permit these naughty foul-mouthed knaves to ridicule
the godly for their decent gravity, and, in blaspheming heaven
and slandering its earthly rulers, to set at defiance the laws
both of God and man."
"If we could think this were true, my lord," said Elizabeth, "we
should give sharp correction for such offences. But it is ill
arguing against the use of anything from its abuse. And touching
this Shakespeare, we think there is that in his plays that is
worth twenty Bear-gardens; and that this new undertaking of his
Chronicles, as he calls them, may entertain, with honest mirth,
Kenilworth |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom by William and Ellen Craft: as I was in one of the apartments adjoining a bag-
gage-car, they considered it unnecessary to awaken
me, and tumbled me over with the luggage. But
when my master was asked to leave his seat, he found
it very dark, and cold, and raining. He missed me
for the first time on the journey. On all previous
occasions, as soon as the train stopped, I was at
hand to assist him. This caused many slaveholders
to praise me very much: they said they had never
before seen a slave so attentive to his master: and
therefore my absence filled him with terror and
Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde: charming.
CECILY. It would hardly have been a really serious engagement if
it hadn't been broken off at least once. But I forgave you before
the week was out.
ALGERNON. [Crossing to her, and kneeling.] What a perfect angel
you are, Cecily.
CECILY. You dear romantic boy. [He kisses her, she puts her
fingers through his hair.] I hope your hair curls naturally, does
it?
ALGERNON. Yes, darling, with a little help from others.
CECILY. I am so glad.
|
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 The Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy: feminine science without men,--that is, learned women, and men
not KNOWING them as learned. Oh, no! No education, no
instruction can change woman as long as her highest ideal shall
be marriage and not virginity, freedom from sensuality. Until
that time she will remain a serf. One need only imagine,
forgetting the universality of the case, the conditions in which
our young girls are brought up, to avoid astonishment at the
debauchery of the women of our upper classes. It is the opposite
that would cause astonishment.
"Follow my reasoning. From infancy garments, ornaments,
cleanliness, grace, dances, music, reading of poetry, novels,
The Kreutzer Sonata |
