| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Weir of Hermiston by Robert Louis Stevenson: toes. But he deceived her, pausing a few steps away, not less white
than herself, and holding up his hand with a gesture of denial.
"No, Christina, not to-day," he said. "To-day I have to talk to you
seriously. Sit ye down, please, there where you were. Please!" he
repeated.
The revulsion of feeling in Christina's heart was violent. To have
longed and waited these weary hours for him, rehearsing her endearments
- to have seen him at last come - to have been ready there, breathless,
wholly passive, his to do what he would with - and suddenly to have
found herself confronted with a grey-faced, harsh schoolmaster - it was
too rude a shock. She could have wept, but pride withheld her. She sat
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from On Horsemanship by Xenophon: horseman must needs raise to discharge a javelin or strike a blow.
Here, accordingly, any part of the corselet which would hinder action
out to be removed; in place of which the corselet ought to have some
extra flaps[6] at the joints, which as the outstretched arm is raised
unfold, and as the arm descends close tight again. The arm itself,[7]
it seems to us, will better be protected by a piece like a greave
stretched over it than bound up with the corselet. Again, the part
exposed when the right hand is raised should be covered close to the
corselet either with calfskin or with metal; or else there will be a
want of protection just at the most vital point.
[6] {prosthetai}, "moveable," "false." For {gigglumois} L. & S. cf.
On Horsemanship |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: And the sun is warm in heaven,
And you need no white-skin wrapper!"
Thus aloud cried Hiawatha
In the solitary forest,
By the rushing Taquamenaw,
When the birds were singing gayly,
In the Moon of Leaves were singing,
And the sun, from sleep awaking,
Started up and said, "Behold me!
Gheezis, the great Sun, behold me!"
And the tree with all its branches
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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 The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum: worked, Trot ate popcorn and found it crisp and slightly
warm, as well as nicely salted and buttered. Presently
Cap'n Bill came out of the house and joined her.
"What's this?" he asked.
"Mo snow," said she. "But it isn't real snow, although
it falls from the sky. It's popcorn."
Cap'n Bill tasted it; then he sat down in the path and
began to eat. The Ork came out and pecked away with its
bill as fast as it could. They all liked popcorn and they
all were hungry this morning.
Meantime the flakes of "Mo snow" came down so fast that
The Scarecrow of Oz |
