| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Essays of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson: believe that delicate, long-lasting phantom of the atmosphere, a
creature of the incontinent stream whose course it follows. By noon
the sky is arrayed in an unrivalled pomp of colour - mild and pale
and melting in the north, but towards the zenith, dark with an
intensity of purple blue. What with this darkness of heaven and the
intolerable lustre of the snow, space is reduced again to chaos. An
English painter, coming to France late in life, declared with natural
anger that 'the values were all wrong.' Had he got among the Alps on
a bright day he might have lost his reason. And even to any one who
has looked at landscape with any care, and in any way through the
spectacles of representative art, the scene has a character of
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas: river, which held in its watery embrace so many enchanting
little islands, edged with willows and rushes, and abounding
in luxurious vegetation, whereon flocks of fat sheep browsed
in peaceful sleepiness. Craeke from afar off recognised
Dort, the smiling city, at the foot of a hill dotted with
windmills. He saw the fine red brick houses, mortared in
white lines, standing on the edge of the water, and their
balconies, open towards the river, decked out with silk
tapestry embroidered with gold flowers, the wonderful
manufacture of India and China; and near these brilliant
stuffs, large lines set to catch the voracious eels, which
The Black Tulip |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Copy-Cat & Other Stories by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman: it."
"Imogen always thinks she has done everything
she ought to do, whether she has done it or not,"
said Benny, with unusual astuteness. "Why don't
you up and tell her she lies, Annie?"
"She doesn't really lie," said Annie.
"She does lie, even if she doesn't know it," said
Benny; "and what is more, she ought to be made to
know it. Say, Annie, it strikes me that you are
doing the same by the girls that they accuse you of
doing by me. Aren't you encouraging them in evil
|
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 In Darkest England and The Way Out by General William Booth: our efforts, by placing orders for the supply of Boardmen, Messengers,
Bill-distributors, Window-cleaners and other kinds of labour in our
hands. Our charge for "boardmen" will be 2s. 2d., including boards, the
placing and proper supervision of the men, &c. Two shillings, at least,
will go direct to the men; most of the hirers of boardmen pay this, and
some even more, but often not more than one-half reaches the men.
We shall be glad to forward you further information of our plans,
or will send a representative to further explain, or to take orders,
on receiving notice from you to that effect.
Believe me to be,
Yours faithfully, etc.
In Darkest England and The Way Out |
