| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad: see on the map, resembling an immense snake uncoiled,
with its head in the sea, its body at rest curving afar over
a vast country, and its tail lost in the depths of the land.
And as I looked at the map of it in a shop-window, it
fascinated me as a snake would a bird--a silly little bird.
Then I remembered there was a big concern, a Company for
trade on that river. Dash it all! I thought to myself,
they can't trade without using some kind of craft on that lot of
fresh water--steamboats! Why shouldn't I try to get charge of one?
I went on along Fleet Street, but could not shake off the idea.
The snake had charmed me.
Heart of Darkness |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Unseen World and Other Essays by John Fiske: account of the argument it contains may well precede the
suggestions presently to be set forth concerning the Unseen
World; and we shall find it most convenient to begin, like our
authors, with a brief statement of what the principle of
continuity teaches as to the proximate beginning and end of the
visible universe. I shall in the main set down only results,
having elsewhere[2] given a simple exposition of the arguments
upon which these results are founded.
[1] The Unseen Universe; or, Physical Speculations on a Future
State. [Attributed to Professors TAIT and BALFOUR STEWART.] New
York: Macmillan & Co. 1875. 8vo. pp. 212.
The Unseen World and Other Essays |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from King Henry VI by William Shakespeare: As deputy unto that gracious king,
Give thee her hand, for sign of plighted faith.
SUFFOLK.
Reignier of France, I give thee kingly thanks,
Because this is in traffic of a king.
[Aside] And yet, methinks, I could be well content
To be mine own attorney in this case.
I 'll over then to England with this news,
And make this marriage to be solemnized.
So, farewell, Reignier; set this diamond safe
In golden palaces, as it becomes.
|
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 Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey: men; he had seen the quick, dark shadow in eyes, the
presentiment that the will could not control, and then the
horrible certainty. These men must have been in agony at every
meeting with a possible or certain foe--more agony than the hot
rend of a bullet. They were haunted, too, haunted by this fear,
by every victim calling from the grave that nothing was so
inevitable as death, which lurked behind every corner, hid in
every shadow, lay deep in the dark tube of every gun. These men
could not have a friend; they could not love or trust a woman.
They knew their one chance of holding on to life lay in their
own distrust, watchfulness, dexterity, and that hope, by the
The Lone Star Ranger |
