| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Chinese Boy and Girl by Isaac Taylor Headland: them from his mouth to his eyes unless he had punctured a
passage beneath the skin, is still to me a mystery.
His last trick was to swallow a sword fifteen inches long.
The sword was straight with a round point and dull edges.
There was no deception about this. He was an old man
and his front, upper teeth were badly worn away by the
constant rasping of the not over-smooth sword. He simply
put it in his mouth, threw back his head and stuck it down
his throat to his stomach.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Royalty Restored/London Under Charles II by J. Fitzgerald Molloy: vengeance sprang from depths of horror. For two days the mangled
remains of the poor knight were exposed to public view, "and all
that saw them went away inflamed." They were then interred with
all the pomp and state befitting one who had fallen a victim to
catholicism, a martyr to protestantism. The funeral procession,
which took its sad way through the principal thoroughfares from
Bridewell to St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, numbered seventy-two
divines, and over twelve hundred persons of quality and
consideration. Arriving at the church, Dr. Lloyd, a clergyman
remarkable for his fine abhorrence of papists, ascended the
pulpit, where, protected by two men of great height and strength,
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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 Maria, or the Wrongs of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft: with requesting him to lend him five hundred pounds for a month or
six weeks.' I read this letter twice over; and the firm purpose it
inspired, calmed the rising tumult of my soul. I rose deliberately,
requested Mr. S---- to wait a moment, and instantly going into the
counting-house, desired Mr. Venables to return with me to the
dining-parlour.
"He laid down his pen, and entered with me, without observing
any change in my countenance. I shut the door, and, giving him
the letter, simply asked, 'whether he wrote it, or was it a forgery?'
"Nothing could equal his confusion. His friend's eye met his,
and he muttered something about a joke--But I interrupted him--
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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 The Dunwich Horror by H. P. Lovecraft: Fords an' wagons an' rounded up as many able-bodied men-folks
as we could git, at Corey's place, an' come up here ter see what
yew thought best ter dew. Not but what I think it's the Lord's
jedgment fer our iniquities, that no mortal kin ever set aside.'
Armitage saw that the time for positive action had come, and
spoke decisively to the faltering group of frightened rustics.
'We must follow it, boys.' He made his voice as reassuring as
possible. 'I believe there's a chance of putting it out of business.
You men know that those Whateleys were wizards - well, this thing
is a thing of wizardry, and must be put down by the same means.
I've seen Wilbur Whateley's diary and read some of the strange
The Dunwich Horror |
