| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Chance by Joseph Conrad: "But, Mrs. Fyne," I remonstrated, "you forget that I don't know your
brother."
This argument which was not only sagacious but true, overwhelmingly
true, unanswerably true, seemed to surprise her.
I wondered why. I did not know enough of her brother for the
remotest guess at what he might be like. I had never set eyes on
the man. I didn't know him so completely that by contrast I seemed
to have known Miss de Barral--whom I had seen twice (altogether
about sixty minutes) and with whom I had exchanged about sixty
words--from the cradle so to speak. And perhaps, I thought, looking
down at Mrs. Fyne (I had remained standing) perhaps she thinks that
Chance |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Sportsman by Xenophon: her, following her tracks; and presently he will find himself at a
second similar piece of ground (unless, as is not improbable, she
smothers herself in the snow beforehand).[14] Accordingly he must
discover where she is and spread his toils once more; and, if she has
energy still left, pursue the chase. Even without the nets, caught she
will be, from sheer fatigue,[15] owing to the depth of the snow, which
balls itself under her shaggy feet and clings to her, a sheer dead
weight.
[11] Al. "to envelop the victims in the nets."
[12] Lit. "whatever the creature is in contact with inside."
[13] Cf. Aesch. "Prom." 87, Poto tropo tesd' ekkulisthesei tukhes}.
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Chinese Boy and Girl by Isaac Taylor Headland: to move backward ten miles in his course."
"When did that happen?" inquired the child.
"The Chinese say it happened about three thousand years ago,"
replied the old nurse.
"Now tell me about the man who went to the fire star."
The old woman hesitated a moment as though she was trying to
recall something and then told him the story of
|
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 Wrong Box by Stevenson & Osbourne: and may possibly be removed from there direct to the asylum.'
He wondered with morbid interest, as he descended the stairs, how
he would first betray his terrible condition--would he attack a
waiter? or eat glass?--and when he had mounted into a cab, he
bade the man drive to Nichol's, with a lurking fear that there
was no such place.
The flaring, gassy entrance of the cafe speedily set his mind at
rest; he was cheered besides to recognize his favourite waiter;
his orders appeared to be coherent; the dinner, when it came, was
quite a sensible meal, and he ate it with enjoyment. 'Upon my
word,' he reflected, 'I am about tempted to indulge a hope. Have
|
