| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from De Profundis by Oscar Wilde: realised in such plastic perfection by the Greeks. Music, in which
all subject is absorbed in expression and cannot be separated from
it, is a complex example, and a flower or a child a simple example,
of what I mean; but sorrow is the ultimate type both in life and
art.
Behind joy and laughter there may be a temperament, coarse, hard
and callous. But behind sorrow there is always sorrow. Pain,
unlike pleasure, wears no mask. Truth in art is not any
correspondence between the essential idea and the accidental
existence; it is not the resemblance of shape to shadow, or of the
form mirrored in the crystal to the form itself; it is no echo
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Twilight Land by Howard Pyle: horse into the thicket, and again summoned the Genie. "I should
like," said he, "to have a suit of clothes fit for a king to
wear."
"My lord shall have that which he desires," said the Genie. He
stretched out his hand, and in an instant there lay across his
arm raiment such as the eyes of man never saw before--stiff with
pearls, and blazing with diamonds and rubies and emeralds and
sapphires. The Genie himself aided Abdallah to dress, and when he
looked down he felt, for the time, quite satisfied.
He rode a little farther. Then suddenly he bethought himself,
"What a silly spectacle shall I cut in the town with no money in
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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 Peter Pan by James M. Barrie: their dire hour they were not likely to forget it. Slightly, if
he had an opportunity, would blaze [cut a mark in] the trees, for
instance, Curly would drop seeds, and Wendy would leave her
handkerchief at some important place. The morning was needed to
search for such guidance, and he could not wait. The upper world
had called him, but would give no help.
The crocodile passed him, but not another living thing, not a
sound, not a movement; and yet he knew well that sudden death
might be at the next tree, or stalking him from behind.
He swore this terrible oath: "Hook or me this time."
Now he crawled forward like a snake, and again erect, he
Peter Pan |
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 Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: fellows.
Wetzel bade Joe do exactly as he did, whereupon he dropped on his hands and
knees and began to crawl through the long grass. This was easy for the hunter,
but very bard for the lad to accomplish. Still, he managed to keep his comrade
in sight, which was a matter for congratulation, because the man crawled as
fast as he walked. At length, after what to Joe seemed a very long time, the
hunter paused.
"Are we near enough?" whispered Joe, breathlessly.
"Nope. We're just circlin' on 'em. The wind's not right, an' I'm afeered
they'll get our scent."
Wetzel rose carefully and peeped over the top of the grass; then, dropping on
The Spirit of the Border |
