| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lay Morals by Robert Louis Stevenson: the other three the funerals of folk you loved, and all that,
to have a quiet old age in shelter, and bread for your old
belly, and a bed to lay your crazy bones upon, with a clear
conscience?'
'Sir,' said Mr. Archer, with an inclination of his head, 'you
portray a very brave existence.'
'Well,' continued Jonathan, 'and in the end thieves deceive
you, thieves rob and rook you, thieves turn you out in your
old age and send you begging. What have you got for all your
honesty? A fine return! You that might have stole scores of
pounds, there you are out in the rain with your rheumatics!'
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Symposium by Plato: very well that I am speaking the truth, although you may laugh. But first
tell me; if I come in shall we have the understanding of which I spoke
(supra Will you have a very drunken man? etc.)? Will you drink with me or
not?'
The company were vociferous in begging that he would take his place among
them, and Agathon specially invited him. Thereupon he was led in by the
people who were with him; and as he was being led, intending to crown
Agathon, he took the ribands from his own head and held them in front of
his eyes; he was thus prevented from seeing Socrates, who made way for him,
and Alcibiades took the vacant place between Agathon and Socrates, and in
taking the place he embraced Agathon and crowned him. Take off his
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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 The Master of Ballantrae by Robert Louis Stevenson: sail on, so foul the ship's bottom; but early on the tenth, before
dawn, and in a light lifting haze, we passed the head. A little
after, the haze lifted, and fell again, showing us a cruiser very
close. This was a sore blow, happening so near our refuge. There
was a great debate of whether she had seen us, and if so whether it
was likely they had recognised the SARAH. We were very careful, by
destroying every member of those crews we overhauled, to leave no
evidence as to our own persons; but the appearance of the SARAH
herself we could not keep so private; and above all of late, since
she had been foul, and we had pursued many ships without success,
it was plain that her description had been often published. I
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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 Herland by Charlotte Gilman: were approaching a village.
I confess that we paid small attention to the clean, well-built
roads, to the attractive architecture, to the ordered beauty of the
little town. We had our glasses out; even Terry, setting his machine
for a spiral glide, clapped the binoculars to his eyes.
They heard our whirring screw. They ran out of the houses
--they gathered in from the fields, swift-running light figures,
crowds of them. We stared and stared until it was almost too late
to catch the levers, sweep off and rise again; and then we held
our peace for a long run upward
"Gosh!" said Terry, after a while.
Herland |
