| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft: description?"
The sensations of Pabodie and myself at receipt
of this report were almost beyond description, nor were our companions
much behind us in enthusiasm. McTighe, who had hastily translated
a few high spots as they came from the droning receiving set,
wrote out the entire message from his shorthand version as soon
as Lake’s operator signed off. All appreciated the epoch-making
significance of the discovery, and I sent Lake congratulations
as soon as the Arkham’s operator had repeated back the descriptive
parts as requested; and my example was followed by Sherman from
his station at the McMurdo Sound supply cache, as well as by Captain
At the Mountains of Madness |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen: expressing his opinion openly: he tells the people enough to set them all
thinking and guessing; but in order to hurt nobody, he wraps his witty
oracular judgments in a transparent veil, or rather in a lurid thundercloud,
shooting forth bright sparks of wit, that they may fall in the powder-magazine
of the expectant audience."
The humorous poem was admirably recited, and the speaker much applauded. Among
the audience was the young man of the hospital, who seemed to have forgotten
his adventure of the preceding night. He had on the Shoes; for as yet no
lawful owner had appeared to claim them; and besides it was so very dirty
out-of-doors, they were just the thing for him, he thought.
The beginning of the poem he praised with great generosity: he even found the
Fairy Tales |
