| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Dark Lady of the Sonnets by George Bernard Shaw: mutinously, calling the plays "As _You_ Like It," and "Much Ado About
Nothing." All the same, he did it so well that to this day these two
genial vulgarities are the main Shakespearian stock-in-trade of our
theatres. Later on Burbage's power and popularity as an actor enabled
Shakespear to free himself from the tyranny of the box office, and to
express himself more freely in plays consisting largely of monologue
to be spoken by a great actor from whom the public would stand a good
deal. The history of Shakespear's tragedies has thus been the history
of a long line of famous actors, from Burbage and Betterton to Forbes
Robertson; and the man of whom we are told that "when he would have
said that Richard died, and cried A horse! A horse! he Burbage cried"
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia by Samuel Johnson: fall; therefore I suspect that from any height where life can be
supported, there may be danger of too quick descent."
"Nothing," replied the artist, "will ever be attempted if all
possible objections must be first overcome. If you will favour my
project, I will try the first flight at my own hazard. I have
considered the structure of all volant animals, and find the
folding continuity of the bat's wings most easily accommodated to
the human form. Upon this model I shall begin my task to-morrow,
and in a year expect to tower into the air beyond the malice and
pursuit of man. But I will work only on this condition, that the
art shall not be divulged, and that you shall not require me to
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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 The Outlaw of Torn by Edgar Rice Burroughs: firmed his first fear that these had been Bertrade's
escort from Stutevill.
As he bent over them to see if he recognized any
of the knights there stared up into his face from the
foreheads of the dead men the dreaded sign, NT,
scratched there with a dagger's point.
"The curse of God be on him!" cried De Montfort.
"It be the work of the Devil of Torn, my gentlemen,"
he said to his followers. "Come, we need no further
guide to our destination." And, remounting, the little
party spurred back toward Torn.
The Outlaw of Torn |
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 Letters from England by Elizabeth Davis Bancroft: Marquis of Exeter came over and took Madam Lisboa, and Lord
Dalhousie came and took me. The Queen and Prince sat in the middle
of a long table, and I was just opposite the Prince, between Lord
Exeter and Lord Dalhousie, who is the son of the former Governor of
Nova Scotia, was in the last ministry, and a most agreeable person.
I talked to my neighbors as at any other dinner, but the Queen spoke
to no one but Prince Albert, with a word or two to the Duke of
Norfolk, who was on her right, and is the first peer of the realm.
The dinner was rather quickly despatched, and when the Queen rose we
followed her back into the corridor. She walked to the fire and
stood some minutes, and then advanced to me and enquired about Mr.
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