| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Of The Nature of Things by Lucretius: Or rather, in fact, would ne'er have once combined
And given a birth to aught, since, scattered wide,
It could not be united. For of truth
Neither by counsel did the primal germs
'Stablish themselves, as by keen act of mind,
Each in its proper place; nor did they make,
Forsooth, a compact how each germ should move;
But since, being many and changed in many modes
Along the All, they're driven abroad and vexed
By blow on blow, even from all time of old,
They thus at last, after attempting all
Of The Nature of Things |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini: news that seemed of moment. And now her brother spoke of saving her;
it was a little late for that, she thought. Outside the coach his
voice still urged her, and it grew peevish and angry, as was usual
when he was crossed. In the end she consented to do his will. If
she were to fathom this mystery that was thickening about her there
seemed to be no other course. She turned to Lord Gervase.
"Will you do as Richard says?" she begged him.
His lordship blew out his chubby cheeks in his astonishment; he
hesitated a moment, thinking of his cousin Wilding; then, with a shrug,
he leaned from the window and gave the order she desired. The
carriage turned about, and with Richard following lumbered back across
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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 Theaetetus by Plato: and, unless we can protect our retreat, we shall pay the penalty of our
rashness--like the players in the palaestra who are caught upon the line,
and are dragged different ways by the two parties. Therefore I think that
we had better begin by considering those whom we first accosted, 'the
river-gods,' and, if we find any truth in them, we will help them to pull
us over, and try to get away from the others. But if the partisans of 'the
whole' appear to speak more truly, we will fly off from the party which
would move the immovable, to them. And if I find that neither of them have
anything reasonable to say, we shall be in a ridiculous position, having so
great a conceit of our own poor opinion and rejecting that of ancient and
famous men. O Theodorus, do you think that there is any use in proceeding
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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 Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner: Once in their room, Em sat down on the floor and wailed bitterly. Lyndall
lay on the bed with her arm drawn across her eyes, very white and still.
"Hoo, hoo!" cried Em; "and they won't let him take the grey mare; and Waldo
has gone to the mill. Hoo, hoo, and perhaps they won't let us go and say
good-bye to him. Hoo, hoo, hoo!"
"I wish you would be quiet," said Lyndall without moving. "Does it give
you such felicity to let Bonaparte know he is hurting you? We will ask no
one. It will be suppertime soon. Listen--and when you hear the clink of
the knives and forks we will go out and see him.
Em suppressed her sobs and listened intently, kneeling at the door.
Suddenly some one came to the window and put the shutter up.
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