| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Maid Marian by Thomas Love Peacock: "Allen," said the stranger.
"And where is the marriage to take place, Allen?" said Robin.
"At Edwinstow church," said Allen, "by the bishop of Nottingham."
"I know that bishop," said Robin; "he dined with me a month since, and paid
three hundred pounds for his dinner. He has a good ear and loves music.
The friar sang to him to some tune. Give me my harper's cloak, and I
will play a part at this wedding.
"These are dangerous times, Robin," said Marian, "for playing
pranks out of the forest."
"Fear not," said Robin; "Edwinstow lies not Nottingham-ward,
and I will take my precautions."
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Don Quixote by Miquel de Cervantes: precious gift given and left by such a hand: a jewel without which
there can be no happiness either on earth or in heaven. This peace
is the true end of war; and war is only another name for arms. This,
then, being admitted, that the end of war is peace, and that so far it
has the advantage of the end of letters, let us turn to the bodily
labours of the man of letters, and those of him who follows the
profession of arms, and see which are the greater."
Don Quixote delivered his discourse in such a manner and in such
correct language, that for the time being he made it impossible for
any of his hearers to consider him a madman; on the contrary, as
they were mostly gentlemen, to whom arms are an appurtenance by birth,
Don Quixote |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: I fear, my friend, that I shall render myself tedious by dwelling
on these preliminary circumstances; but they were days of
comparative happiness, and I think of them with pleasure.
My country, my beloved country! who but a native can tell the
delight I took in again beholding thy streams, thy mountains,
and, more than all, thy lovely lake!
Yet, as I drew nearer home, grief and fear again overcame me.
Night also closed around; and when I could hardly see the dark
mountains, I felt still more gloomily. The picture appeared a vast
and dim scene of evil, and I foresaw obscurely that I was destined
to become the most wretched of human beings. Alas! I prophesied
Frankenstein |
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 Odyssey by Homer: the voice and in the thunder of Zeus; for he thought that
he had gotten his vengeance on the guilty.
Now the other maidens in the fair halls of Odysseus had
gathered, and were kindling on the hearth the never-resting
fire. And Telemachus rose from his bed, a godlike man, and
put on his raiment, and slung a sharp sword about his
shoulders, and beneath his shining feet he bound his goodly
sandals. And he caught up his mighty spear shod with sharp
bronze, and went and stood by the threshold, and spake to
Eurycleia:
'Dear nurse, have ye honoured our guest in the house with
The Odyssey |
