| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Enchanted Island of Yew by L. Frank Baum: clothing but that which covers their bodies. They can call no man
friend, nor will any lift a hand to help them. Indeed, good sir, I
verily believe they will soon perish miserably unless you come to
their assistance!"
"Poor creatures!" exclaimed Prince Marvel, with ready sympathy;
"tell me who they are, and I will divide amongst them all your
ill-gotten gains."
"They are ourselves," replied the king of thieves, with a sigh.
Marvel looked at him in amazement, and then burst into joyous laughter.
"Yourselves!" he cried, greatly amused.
"Indeed, yes!" said Wul-Takim, sadly. "There are no poorer people in
The Enchanted Island of Yew |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Talisman by Walter Scott: arms, and which hung to the saddle-bow. The reins were secured
by chain-work, and the front-stall of the bridle was a steel
plate, with apertures for the eyes and nostrils, having in the
midst a short, sharp pike, projecting from the forehead of the
horse like the horn of the fabulous unicorn.
But habit had made the endurance of this load of panoply a second
nature, both to the knight and his gallant charger. Numbers,
indeed, of the Western warriors who hurried to Palestine died ere
they became inured to the burning climate; but there were others
to whom that climate became innocent and even friendly, and among
this fortunate number was the solitary horseman who now traversed
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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 Finished by H. Rider Haggard: uttered one wild yell, and suddenly bundled over the edge of the
road. Never would I have believed that such a fat woman could
have run so fast. In a minute she was down the slope and had
vanished into a dense kloof where, as night was closing in and we
were very tired, it was impossible for us to follow her. Nor did
subsequent inquiry in Howick tell us where she was living or
whence she came, for some months before she had left the place
she had taken there as a cook.
Such was the end of Kaatje so far as we were concerned.
Doubtless to her dying day she remained, or will remain, a firm
believer in ghosts.
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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 Egmont by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe: clubbing together, the king paying only a double share.
Ruysum. Let him! under protest, however! 'Tis his master's fashion, too, to
be munificent, and to let the money flow in a good cause. (Wine is
brought.)
All. Here's to his Majesty! Hurrah!
Jetter (to Buyck). That means your Majesty, of course, Buyck. My hearty
thanks, if it be so.
Soest. Assuredly! A Netherlander does not find it easy to drink the health
of his Spanish majesty from his heart.
Ruysum. Who?
Soest (aloud). Philip the Second, King of Spain.
Egmont |
