| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay: produce the phenomenon; if anyone can explain it to me afterward, I
shall be very grateful.... That is all I have to say."
He resumed his seat, half turning his back on the assembly, and
paused for a moment before beginning his task.
It was precisely at this minute that the manservant opened the door
and announced in a subdued but distinct voice: "Mr. Maskull, Mr.
Nightspore."
Everyone turned round. Faull rose to welcome the late arrivals.
Backhouse also stood up, and stared hard at them.
The two strangers remained standing by the door, which was closed
quietly behind them. They seemed to be waiting for the mild
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Poems of William Blake by William Blake: And said, Alas! I knew not this, and therefore did I weep:
That God would love a Worm I knew, and punish the evil foot
That wilful bruis'd its helpless form: but that he cherish'd it
With milk and oil I never knew, and therefore did I weep,
And I complaind in the mild air, because I fade away.
And lay me down in thy cold bed, and leave my shining lot.
Queen of the vales, the matron Clay answered: I heard thy sighs.
And all thy moans flew o'er my roof, but I have call'd them down:
Wilt thou O Queen enter my house, tis given thee to enter,
And to return: fear nothing, enter with thy virgin feet.
IV.
Poems of William Blake |
| 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: Glad to hear Henley's prospects are fair: his new volume is the
work of a real poet. He is one of those who can make a noise of
his own with words, and in whom experience strikes an individual
note. There is perhaps no more genuine poet living, bar the Big
Guns. In case I cannot overtake an acknowledgment to himself by
this mail, please let him hear of my pleasure and admiration. How
poorly - compares! He is all smart journalism and cleverness: it
is all bright and shallow and limpid, like a business paper - a
good one, S'ENTEND; but there is no blot of heart's blood and the
Old Night: there are no harmonics, there is scarce harmony to his
music; and in Henley - all of these; a touch, a sense within sense,
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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 Elixir of Life by Honore de Balzac: echo with clamorous mirth, horses pawed the ground in the
courtyards, pages quarreled and flung dice upon the stairs, but
Bartolommeo ate his seven ounces of bread daily and drank water.
A fowl was occasionally dressed for him, simply that the black
poodle, his faithful companion, might have the bones. Bartolommeo
never complained of the noise. If the huntsmen's horns and baying
dogs disturbed his sleep during his illness, he only said, "Ah!
Don Juan has come back again." Never on earth has there been a
father so little exacting and so indulgent; and, in consequence,
young Belvidero, accustomed to treat his father unceremoniously,
had all the faults of a spoiled child. He treated old Bartolommeo
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