| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Child of Storm by H. Rider Haggard: We trudged on for several hours in silence, broken at length by my
companion.
"Do you still mean to go on a shooting expedition with Umbezi, Inkoosi?"
he asked, "or are you afraid?"
"Of what should I be afraid?" I answered tartly.
"Of the buffalo with the split horn, of which Zikali told you. What
else?"
Now, I fear I used strong language about the buffalo with the split
horn, a beast in which I declared I had no belief whatsoever, either
with or without its accessories of dried river-beds and water-holes.
"If all this old woman's talk has made _you_ afraid, however," I added,
Child of Storm |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Thus Spake Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche: --And must we not return and run in that other lane out before us, that
long weird lane--must we not eternally return?"--
Thus did I speak, and always more softly: for I was afraid of mine own
thoughts, and arrear-thoughts. Then, suddenly did I hear a dog HOWL near
me.
Had I ever heard a dog howl thus? My thoughts ran back. Yes! When I was
a child, in my most distant childhood:
--Then did I hear a dog howl thus. And saw it also, with hair bristling,
its head upwards, trembling in the stillest midnight, when even dogs
believe in ghosts:
--So that it excited my commiseration. For just then went the full moon,
Thus Spake Zarathustra |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Start in Life by Honore de Balzac: your head off; they are indifferent to everything. The French consul,
charming fellow, friend of Chosrew, made him give back two thousand of
the talari, and, consequently, his name is, as I may say, graven on my
heart--"
"What was his name?" asked Monsieur de Serizy; and a look of some
surprise passed over his face as Georges named, correctly, one of our
most distinguished consul-generals who happened at that time to be
stationed at Smyrna.
"I assisted," added Georges, "at the execution of the Governor of
Smyrna, whom the Sultan had ordered Chosrew to put to death. It was
one of the most curious things I ever saw, though I've seen many,--
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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 Laches by Plato: LACHES: I should say that the latter, Socrates, was the braver.
SOCRATES: But, surely, this is a foolish endurance in comparison with the
other?
LACHES: That is true.
SOCRATES: Then you would say that he who in an engagement of cavalry
endures, having the knowledge of horsemanship, is not so courageous as he
who endures, having no such knowledge?
LACHES: So I should say.
SOCRATES: And he who endures, having a knowledge of the use of the sling,
or the bow, or of any other art, is not so courageous as he who endures,
not having such a knowledge?
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