| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from From London to Land's End by Daniel Defoe: repairing of ships--to be built; and with these followed
necessarily the building of store-houses and warehouses for the
rigging, sails, naval and military stores, &c., of such ships as
may be appointed to be laid up there, as now several are; with very
handsome houses for the commissioners, clerks, and officers of all
kinds usual in the king's yards, to dwell in. It is, in short, now
become as complete an arsenal or yard for building and fitting men-
of-war as any the Government are masters of, and perhaps much more
convenient than some of them, though not so large.
The building of these things, with the addition of rope-walks and
mast-yards, &c., as it brought abundance of trades-people and
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Reason Discourse by Rene Descartes: to be highly uncertain, as has been already said; but as I then desired to
give my attention solely to the search after truth, I thought that a
procedure exactly the opposite was called for, and that I ought to reject
as absolutely false all opinions in regard to which I could suppose the
least ground for doubt, in order to ascertain whether after that there
remained aught in my belief that was wholly indubitable. Accordingly,
seeing that our senses sometimes deceive us, I was willing to suppose that
there existed nothing really such as they presented to us; and because
some men err in reasoning, and fall into paralogisms, even on the simplest
matters of geometry, I, convinced that I was as open to error as any
other, rejected as false all the reasonings I had hitherto taken for
Reason Discourse |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Dracula by Bram Stoker: will you not let me be like a sister to you in your trouble?
I know what sorrows you have had, though I cannot measure the depth
of them. If sympathy and pity can help in your affliction,
won't you let me be of some little service, for Lucy's sake?"
In an instant the poor dear fellow was overwhelmed with grief.
It seemed to me that all that he had of late been suffering in silence
found a vent at once. He grew quite hysterical, and raising his
open hands, beat his palms together in a perfect agony of grief.
He stood up and then sat down again, and the tears rained down his cheeks.
I felt an infinite pity for him, and opened my arms unthinkingly.
With a sob he laid his head on my shoulder and cried like a wearied child,
Dracula |
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 Heroes by Charles Kingsley: reach the golden fleece.'
Then Jason laughed bitterly. 'Unjustly is that fleece kept
here, and by an unjust and lawless king; and unjustly shall I
die in my youth, for I will attempt it ere another sun be
set.'
Then Medeia trembled, and said, 'No mortal man can reach that
fleece unless I guide him through. For round it, beyond the
river, is a wall full nine ells high, with lofty towers and
buttresses, and mighty gates of threefold brass; and over the
gates the wall is arched, with golden battlements above. And
over the gateway sits Brimo, the wild witch-huntress of the
|
