| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from In Darkest England and The Way Out by General William Booth: difficulties which, if he lived in a friendly world, would often
disappear. A man, and still more a woman, stands often quite as much
in need of a trusted adviser as he or she does of a dinner or a dress.
Many a poor soul is miserable all the day long, and gets dragged down
deeper and deeper into the depths of sin and sorrow and despair for
want of a sympathising friend, who can give her advice, and make her
feel that somebody in the world cares for her, and will help her if
they can.
If we are to bring back the sense of brotherhood to the world,
we must confront this difficulty. God, it was said in old time,
setteth the desolate in families; but somehow, in our time,
In Darkest England and The Way Out |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Plain Tales from the Hills by Rudyard Kipling: He said that, so long as his old men squabbled with his "dear, good
Wonder," they might be induced to leave the "Immemorial East" in
peace.
"No wise man has a policy," said the Viceroy. "A Policy is the
blackmail levied on the Fool by the Unforeseen. I am not the
former, and I do not believe in the latter."
I do not quite see what this means, unless it refers to an
Insurance Policy. Perhaps it was the Viceroy's way of saying:--
"Lie low."
That season, came up to Simla one of these crazy people with only a
single idea. These are the men who make things move; but they are
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Youth by Joseph Conrad: turn, captain included. There was equality, and if not
exactly fraternity, then a deal of good feeling. Some-
times a man, as he dashed a bucketful of water down the
hatchway, would yell out, 'Hurrah for Bankok!' and the
rest laughed. But generally we were taciturn and seri-
ous--and thirsty. Oh! how thirsty! And we had to be
careful with the water. Strict allowance. The ship
smoked, the sun blazed. . . . Pass the bottle.
"We tried everything. We even made an attempt to
dig down to the fire. No good, of course. No man
could remain more than a minute below. Mahon, who
Youth |
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 Muse of the Department by Honore de Balzac: "Every one has a pet vice. You smoke, she preaches at me, poor woman!
But she takes great care of the children, she takes them out, she is
absolutely devoted, and idolizes me. Would you hinder her from
crying?"
"What will be thought of me?"
"But we do not live for the world!" cried she, raising Etienne and
making him sit by her. "Besides, we shall be married some day--we have
the risks of a sea voyage----"
"I never thought of that," said Lousteau simply; and he added to
himself, "Time enough to part when little La Baudraye is safe back
again."
The Muse of the Department |
