| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tales and Fantasies by Robert Louis Stevenson: footpath to the margin.
There she drank greedily in her hands and washed her temples
with water. The coolness seemed to break, for an instant,
the spell that lay upon her; for, instead of hastening
forward again in her dull, indefatigable tramp, she stood
still where she was, for near a minute, looking straight
before her. And Dick, from above on the bridge where he
stood to watch her, saw a strange, equivocal smile dawn
slowly on her face and pass away again at once and suddenly,
leaving her as grave as ever; and the sense of distance,
which it is so cruel for a lover to endure, pressed with
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare: Mus. What's your will?
Clo. Nothing good Mounsieur, but to help Caualery
Cobweb to scratch. I must to the Barbers Mounsieur, for
me-thinkes I am maruellous hairy about the face. And I
am such a tender asse, if my haire do but tickle me, I must
scratch
Tita. What, wilt thou heare some musicke, my sweet
loue
Clow. I haue a reasonable good eare in musicke. Let
vs haue the tongs and the bones.
Musicke Tongs, Rurall Musicke.
A Midsummer Night's Dream |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Symposium by Xenophon: [18] Lit. "Because I see the man who aims at skill in horsemanship
does not care to own a soft-mouthed, docile animal, but some
restive, fiery creature."
[19] Lit. "being anxious to have intercourse with all mankind, to deal
with every sort of human being, I possess my wife."
A well-aimed argument, not wide of the mark by any means![20] the
company were thinking.
[20] Cf. Plat. "Theaet." 179 C.
Hereupon a large hoop studded with a bristling row of upright
swords[21] was introduced; and into the centre of this ring of knives
and out of it again the girl threw somersaults backwards, forwards,
The Symposium |
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 Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: smiled her last sad, sweet smile, an' died. Ever since then the river has been
eatn' away at this island. It's only half as big as it wus onct, an' another
flood will take away this sand-bar, these few birches--an' Milly's grave."
The old frontiersman's story affected all his listeners. The elder minister
bowed his head and prayed that no such fate might overtake his nieces. The
young minister looked again, as he had many times that day, at Nell's winsome
face. The girls cast grave glances at the drooping birch, and their bright
tears glistened in the fire-glow. Once more Joe's eyes glinted with that
steely flash, and as he gazed out over the wide, darkening expanse of water
his face grew cold and rigid.
"I'll allow I might hev told a more cheerful story, an' I'll do so next time;
The Spirit of the Border |
