| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Dreams & Dust by Don Marquis: Shapes, that out of the twilight
Leap, and with gesture appealing
Seem to deliver a message,
And are gone 'twixt a breath and a breath;--
Shapes that race in with the waves
Moving silverly under the moon,
And are gone ere they break into foam on the rocks
And recede;--
Breathings of love from invisible
Flutes,
Blown somewhere out in the tender
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte: completely my own mistress throughout. And here was a man,
decidedly good-looking - Jane and Susan Green call him bewitchingly
handsome I suppose they're two of the ladies he pretends would be
so glad to have him; but, however, he was certainly a very clever,
witty, agreeable companion - not what you call clever, but just
enough to make him entertaining; and a man one needn't be ashamed
of anywhere, and would not soon grow tired of; and to confess the
truth, I rather liked him - better even, of late, than Harry
Meltham - and he evidently idolised me; and yet, though he came
upon me all alone and unprepared, I had the wisdom, and the pride,
and the strength to refuse him - and so scornfully and coolly as I
Agnes Grey |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Melmoth Reconciled by Honore de Balzac: "Yes, sir," returned the other. "The opinion you advance coincides
with the very words of Jacob Boehme. In the forty-eighth proposition
of the Threefold Life of Man he says that 'if God hath brought all
things to pass with a LET THERE BE, the FIAT is the secret matrix
which comprehends and apprehends the nature which is formed by the
spirit born of Mercury and of God.' "
"What do you say, sir?"
The German delivered his quotation afresh.
"We do not know it," said the clerks.
"Fiat? . . ." said a clerk. "Fiat lux!"
"You can verify the citation for yourselves," said the German. "You
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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 Tess of the d'Urbervilles, A Pure Woman by Thomas Hardy: very grim way just then. Didn't you notice it?"
"Don't try to frighten me, sir," said Tess stiffly.
"Well, I don't. If any living man can manage this
horse I can: I won't say any living man can do it--but
if such has the power, I am he."
"Why do you have such a horse?"
"Ah, well may you ask it! It was my fate, I suppose.
Tib has killed one chap; and just after I bought her
she nearly killed me. And then, take my word for it,
I nearly killed her. But she's touchy still, very
touchy; and one's life is hardly safe behind her
Tess of the d'Urbervilles, A Pure Woman |
