| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde: LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Agatha, you say the most silly things
possible. I think on the whole that Grosvenor Square would be a
more healthy place to reside in. There are lots of vulgar people
live in Grosvenor Square, but at any rate there are no horrid
kangaroos crawling about. But we'll talk about that to-morrow.
James, you can take Agatha down. You'll come to lunch, of course,
James. At half-past one, instead of two. The Duke will wish to
say a few words to you, I am sure.
HOPPER. I should like to have a chat with the Duke, Duchess. He
has not said a single word to me yet.
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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 Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: --as dull as Renault and all the other subordinate plotters in
VENICE PRESERVED. No; this is a Jaffier, or Pierre, if you like
the character better; and yet though I know I shall please you, I
am afraid to mention his name to you, lest I vex you at the same
time. Can you not guess? Something about an eagle and a rock--
it does not begin with eagle in English, but something very like
it in Scotch."
"You cannot mean young Earnscliff, Lucy?" said Miss Vere,
blushing deeply.
"And whom else should I mean" said Lucy. "Jaffiers and Pierres
are very scarce in this country, I take it, though one could find
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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 Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson: a soft TALOFA, ALII (note for my mother: they are quite courteous
here in the European style, quite unlike Tahiti), right in my ear:
it was Mataafa coming from early mass in his white coat and white
linen kilt, with three fellows behind him. Mataafa is the nearest
thing to a hero in my history, and really a fine fellow; plenty
sense, and the most dignified, quiet, gentle manners. Talking of
BLACKWOOD - a file of which I was lucky enough to find here in the
lawyer's - Mrs. Oliphant seems in a staggering state: from the
WRONG BOX to THE MASTER I scarce recognise either my critic or
myself. I gather that THE MASTER should do well, and at least that
notice is agreeable reading. I expect to be home in June: you
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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 At the Earth's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs: that I should have read there.
I never said a word to her at first. I just strode
across the cave and grasped her by the wrists, and when
she struggled, I put my arm around her so as to pinion her
hands to her sides. She fought like a tigress, but I took
my free hand and pushed her head back--I imagine that I
had suddenly turned brute, that I had gone back a thousand
million years, and was again a veritable cave man taking
my mate by force--and then I kissed that beautiful mouth
again and again.
"Dian," I cried, shaking her roughly, "I love you.
At the Earth's Core |
