| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: proper judge of his cause, and cried out of the depth of his
heart, "O Lord my God, my sweet hope and unerring promise, the
sure refuge of them that are wholly given up to thee, with
gracious and kindly eye look upon the contrition of my heart, and
leave me not, neither forsake me. But, according to thine
unerring pledge, be thou with me, thine unworthy and sorry
servant. Thee I acknowledge and confess, the maker and provider
of all creation. Therefore do thou thyself enable me to continue
in this good confession, until my dying breath: look upon me, and
pity me; and stand by and keep me unhurt by any working of Satan.
Look upon me, O King: for my heart is enkindled with longing
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: committeret ut is locus ubi constitissent ex calamitate populi Romani et
internecione exercitus nomen caperet aut memoriam proderet.
His Caesar ita respondit: eo sibi minus dubitationis dari, quod eas
res quas legati Helvetii commemorassent memoria teneret, atque eo gravius
ferre quo minus merito populi Romani accidissent; qui si alicuius iniuriae
sibi conscius fuisset, non fuisse difficile cavere; sed eo deceptum, quod
neque commissum a se intellegeret quare timeret neque sine causa timendum
putaret. Quod si veteris contumeliae oblivisci vellet, num etiam
recentium iniuriarum, quod eo invito iter per provinciam per vim
temptassent, quod Haeduos, quod Ambarros, quod Allobrogas vexassent,
memoriam deponere posse? Quod sua victoria tam insolenter gloriarentur
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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 Allan Quatermain by H. Rider Haggard: the booty they may win in battle belongs to their fathers
alone. -- A. Q.
Endnote 7
As I think I have already said, one of Umslopogaas's Zulu names
was the 'Woodpecker'. I could never make out why he was called
so until I saw him in action with Inkosi-kaas, when I at once
recognized the resemblance. -- A. Q.
Endnote 8
By a sad coincidence, since the above was written by Mr Quatermain,
the Masai have, in April 1886, massacred a missionary and his
wife -- Mr and Mrs Houghton -- on this very Tana River, and at
Allan Quatermain |
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 Koran: of those before them who were stronger than they? but God, nothing can
ever make Him helpless in the heavens or in the earth; verily, He is
knowing, powerful.
Were God to catch men up for what they earn, He would not leave upon
the back of it a beast; but He respites them until an appointed
time. When their appointed time comes, verily, God looks upon His
servants.
THE CHAPTER OF YA SIN
(XXXVI. Mecca.)
IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
YA SIN. By the wise Koran verily, thou art of the apostles upon a
The Koran |
