| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Dracula by Bram Stoker: his hell-home, the place unhallowed, as we saw when he went
to the grave of the suicide at Whitby, still at other time he can
only change when the time come. It is said, too, that he can
only pass running water at the slack or the flood of the tide.
Then there are things which so afflict him that he has no power,
as the garlic that we know of, and as for things sacred,
as this symbol, my crucifix, that was amongst us even
now when we resolve, to them he is nothing, but in their
presence he take his place far off and silent with respect.
There are others, too, which I shall tell you of, lest in our
seeking we may need them.
Dracula |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Duchesse de Langeais by Honore de Balzac: attitude might seem ridiculous, he went back to head the
procession, telling the alcalde and the governor that, feeling
suddenly faint, he had gone out into the air. Casting about for
a plea for prolonging his stay, it at once occurred to him to
make the most of this excuse, framed on the spur of the moment.
He declined, on a plea of increasing indisposition, to preside at
the banquet given by the town to the French officers, betook
himself to his bed, and sent a message to the Major-General, to
the effect that temporary illness obliged him to leave the
Colonel in command of the troops for the time being. This
commonplace but very plausible stratagem relieved him of all
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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 Salome by Oscar Wilde: si vous dansez pour moi. Oh! Salome, Salome, dansez pour moi.
SALOME. Vous avez jure, tetrarque.
HERODE. J'ai jure, Salome.
SALOME. Tout ce que je vous demanderai, fut-ce la moitie de votre
royaume?
HERODIAS. Ne dansez pas, ma fille.
HERODE. Fut-ce la moitie de mon royaume. Comme reine, tu serais
tres belle, Salome, s'il te plaisait de demander la moitie de mon
royaume. N'est-ce pas qu'elle serait tres belle comme reine? . . .
Ah! il fait froid ici! il y a un vent tres froid, et j'entends . . .
pourquoi est-ce que j'entends dans l'air ce battement d'ailes? Oh!
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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 An Episode Under the Terror by Honore de Balzac: the priest and said, as if making a confidence, "Father, I came to beg
you to celebrate a mass for the repose of the soul of--of--of an
august personage whose body will never rest in consecrated earth----"
Involuntarily the abbe shivered. As yet, neither of the Sisters
understood of whom the stranger was speaking; they sat with their
heads stretched out and faces turned towards the speaker, curiosity in
their whole attitude. The priest meanwhile, was scrutinizing the
stranger; there was no mistaking the anxiety in the man's face, the
ardent entreaty in his eyes.
"Very well," returned the abbe. "Come back at midnight. I shall be
ready to celebrate the only funeral service that it is in our power to
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