| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Pool of Blood in the Pastor's Study by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: credulity, or over-confidence, a credulity which, in the light of
subsequent events, seems quite incomprehensible. Do not reproach
yourself and do not lose heart. Your only fault was that you did
not recognise the heart of the beast of prey in this admirable human
form."
"What course will the law take?" asked Orszay. "The poor
unfortunate madman - whose knife took all these lives - cannot be
held responsible, can he?"
"Oh, no; his misfortune protects him. But as for the other, though
his hands bear no actual bloodstains, he is more truly a murderer
than the unhappy man who was his tool. Hanging is too good for him.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson: and the deer. And then I have bit things that I attend to.
Whiles I pick up a few lads to serve the King of France:
recruits, ye see; and that's aye a little money. But the heart
of the matter is the business of my chief, Ardshiel."
"I thought they called your chief Appin," said I.
"Ay, but Ardshiel is the captain of the clan," said he, which
scarcely cleared my mind. "Ye see, David, he that was all his
life so great a man, and come of the blood and bearing the name
of kings, is now brought down to live in a French town like a
poor and private person. He that had four hundred swords at his
whistle, I have seen, with these eyes of mine, buying butter in
Kidnapped |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Twice Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne: seemed as if the procession, which had been gradually filling up
its ranks, were now about to move, and that this loud peal of the
wailing trumpets, and roll of the muffled drums, were a call to
some loiterer to make haste. Many eyes, by an irresistible
impulse, were turned upon Sir William Howe, as if it were he whom
the dreary music summoned to the funeral or departed power.
"See!--here comes the last!" whispered Miss Joliffe, pointing her
tremulous finger to the staircase.
A figure had come into view as if descending the stairs; although
so dusky was the region whence it emerged, some of the spectators
fancied that they had seen this human shape suddenly moulding
Twice Told Tales |
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: else. The old ledger was at length given wholly into the charge
of Dr Armitage, both because of his peculiar interest in the Whateley
matter, and because of his wide linguistic learning and skill
in the mystical formulae of antiquity and the middle ages.
Armitage
had an idea that the alphabet might be something esoterically
used by certain forbidden cults which have come down from old
times, and which have inherited many forms and traditions from
the wizards of the Saracenic world. That question, however, he
did not deem vital; since it would be unnecessary to know the
origin of the symbols if, as he suspected, they were used as a
The Dunwich Horror |
