| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: In the morning, Felton came as usual; but Milady allowed him to
preside over all the preparations for breakfast without
addressing a word to him. At the moment when he was about to
retire, she was cheered with a ray of hope, for she thought he
was about to speak; but his lips moved without any sound leaving
his mouth, and making a powerful effort to control himself, he
sent back to his heart the words that were about to escape from
his lips, and went out. Toward midday, Lord de Winter entered.
It was a tolerably fine winter's day, and a ray of that pale
English sun which lights but does not warm came through the bars
of her prison.
The Three Musketeers |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Polly of the Circus by Margaret Mayo: her inborn love of mischief, and later, because Polly had become
second in her heart only to the pastor. She went about her work,
crooning softly during the days of Polly's convalescence. The
deep, steady voice of the pastor reading aloud in the pretty
window overhead was company. She would often climb the stairs to
tell them some bit of village gossip, and leave them laughing at
a quaint comment about some inquisitive sister of the church, who
had happened to incur her displeasure.
As spring came on, Douglas carried Polly down to the sun-lit
garden beneath the window; and Mandy fluttered about arranging
the cushions with motherly solicitude.
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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 King James Bible: bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their
number, after the manner:
NUM 29:31 And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt
offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
NUM 29:32 And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen
lambs of the first year without blemish:
NUM 29:33 And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the
bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their
number, after the manner:
NUM 29:34 And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt
offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
King James Bible |
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 Historical Lecturers and Essays by Charles Kingsley: spite of all her faults, so often in past years--a joy and an
inspiration to all the nations round? Shall it be thus? God grant
it may; but He, and He alone, can tell. We only stand by, watching,
if we be wise, with pity and with fear, the working out of a
tremendous new social problem, which must affect the future of the
whole civilised world.
For if the agonising old nations fail to regenerate themselves, what
can befall? What, when even Imperialism has been tried and failed,
as fail it must? What but that lower depth within the lowest deep?
That last dread mood
Of sated lust, and dull decrepitude.
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