| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley: much wiser than Shakespeare's fool, can say about the matter. But
again--the London Pride grows here, and so does another saxifrage
very like it, which we call Saxifraga Geum. Now, when I saw those
two plants growing in the Western Pyrenees, between France and
Spain, and with them the beautiful blue butterwort, which grows in
these Kerry bogs--we will go and find some--what could I say but
that Spain and Ireland must have been joined once?
I suppose it must be so.
Again. There is a little pink butterwort here in the bogs, which
grows, too, in dear old Devonshire and Cornwall; and also in the
south-west of Scotland. Now, when I found that too, in the bogs
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Confidence by Henry James: of defects."
"What defects, for instance?"
"Oh, I have n't remembered them. She said she had a bad temper--
that she led her mother a dreadful life. Now, poor Mrs. Vivian says
she is an angel."
"Ah yes," Bernard observed; "Mrs. Vivian says that, very freely."
"Angela declared that she was jealous, ungenerous, unforgiving--
all sorts of things. I remember she said 'I am very false,'
and I think she remarked that she was cruel."
"But this did n't put you off," said Bernard.
"Not at all. She was making up."
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Out of Time's Abyss by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "Where is England and what?" pursued the questioner.
"It is a country far from here," answered the Englishman.
"Are your people cor-sva-jo or cos-ata-lu?"
"I do not understand you," said Bradley; "and now suppose you
answer a few questions. Who are you? What country is this?
Why did you bring me here?"
Again the sepulchral grimace. "We are Wieroos--Luata is our father.
Caspak is ours. This, our country, is called Oo-oh. We brought
you here for (literally) Him Who Speaks for Luata to gaze upon
and question. He would know from whence you came and why; but
principally if you be cos-ata-lu."
Out of Time's Abyss |
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 Rescue by Joseph Conrad: impossible."
"I am afraid it would," she admitted, nervously.
D'Alcacer made a gesture as if to beg her to say no more and at
once crossed over to Mr. Travers' side of the Cage. He did not
want to give himself time to think about his task. Mr. Travers
was sitting up on the camp bedstead with a light cotton sheet
over his legs. He stared at nothing, and on approaching him
d'Alcacer disregarded the slight sinking of his own heart at this
aspect which seemed to be that of extreme terror. "This is
awful," he thought. The man kept as still as a hare in its form.
The impressed d'Alcacer had to make an effort to bring himself to
The Rescue |
