| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Polity of Athenians and Lacedaemonians by Xenophon: quality--so far from being a matter of surprise, this, as can be
shown, is the keystone of the preservation of the democracy. It is
these poor people, this common folk, this riff-raff,[13] whose
prosperity, combined with the growth of their numbers, enhances the
democracy. Whereas, a shifting of fortune to the advantage of the
wealthy and the better classes implies the establishment on the part
of the commonalty of a strong power in opposition to itself. In fact,
all the world over, the cream of society is in opposition to the
democracy. Naturally, since the smallest amount of intemperance and
injustice, together with the highest scrupulousness in the pursuit of
excellence, is to be found in the ranks of the better class, while
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Rape of Lucrece by William Shakespeare: By deep surmise of others' detriment:
Losing her woes in shows of discontent.
It easeth some, though none it ever cur'd,
To think their dolour others have endur'd.
But now the mindful messenger, come back,
Brings home his lord and other company;
Who finds his Lucrece clad in mourning black:
And round about her tear-distained eye
Blue circles stream'd, like rainbows in the sky.
These water-galls in her dim element
Foretell new storms to those already spent.
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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 Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy: The laugh which accompanied this sally sounded perhaps a
trifled forced and hard, but neither Sir Andrew nor Lord Tony were
very keen observers. The mimicry was so perfect, the tone of the
voice so accurately reproduced, that both the young men joined in a
hearty cheerful "Bravo!"
"Ah! Lady Blakeney!" added Lord Tony, "how they must miss you
at the Comedie Francaise, and how the Parisians must hate Sir Percy
for having taken you away."
"Lud, man," rejoined Marguerite, with a shrug of her graceful
shoulders, "`tis impossible to hate Sir Percy for anything; his witty
sallies would disarm even Madame la Comtesse herself."
The Scarlet Pimpernel |
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 Macbeth by William Shakespeare: 1. Where the place?
2. Vpon the Heath
3. There to meet with Macbeth
1. I come, Gray-Malkin
All. Padock calls anon: faire is foule, and foule is faire,
Houer through the fogge and filthie ayre.
Exeunt.
Scena Secunda.
Alarum within. Enter King Malcome, Donalbaine, Lenox, with
attendants,
meeting a bleeding Captaine.
Macbeth |
