| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: slight for my exculpation, I will be happy--most happy--to repel
the charge, as becomes a man who counts his honour dearer than
his life."
"And I'll be his second," said Simon of Hackburn, "and take up
ony twa o' ye, gentle or semple, laird or loon; it's a' ane to
Simon."
"Who is that rough-looking fellow?" said Sir Frederick Langley,
"and what has he to do with the quarrels of gentlemen?"
"I'se be a lad frae the Hie Te'iot," said Simon, "and I'se
quarrel wi' ony body I like, except the king, or the laird I live
under."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Koran: When God showed thee them in thy dream as though they were but
few; but had He shown thee them as though they were many, ye would
have been timid, and ye would have quarrelled about the matter;- but
God preserved you; verily, He knows the nature of men's breasts!
And when He showed them to you, as ye encountered them, as few in
your eyes; and made you seem few in their eyes; that God might
accomplish a thing that was as good as done; for unto God do things
return!
O ye who believe! when ye encounter a troop, then stand firm and
remember God; and haply ye may prosper! and fear God and His
Apostle, and do not quarrel or be timid, so that your turn of luck
The Koran |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Research Magnificent by H. G. Wells: sometimes he hunted alone, sometimes in company, sometimes black
figures struggled in the darkness against dim-lit backgrounds and
sometimes a swarm of shining yellow faces screamed and shouted
through the torn paper windows. . . . And then at the end of this
confused effect of struggle, this Chinese kinematograph film, one
last picture jerked into place and stopped and stood still, a white
wall in the sunshine come upon suddenly round a corner, a dirty
flagged passage and a stiff crumpled body that had for the first
time an inexpressive face. . . .
14
Benham sat at a table in the smoking-room of the Sherborough Hotel
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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 Droll Stories, V. 1 by Honore de Balzac: "Do you not think the Virgin beautiful?" asked she of him, smiling
when he held the illuminated prayer-book in which glowed the silver
and gold.
"It is a painting," replied he, timidly, and casting a little glance
upon his so gracious mistress.
"Read! read!"
Then Rene began to recite the so sweet and so mystic litanies; but you
may imagine that the "Ora pro nobis" of Blanche became still fainter
and fainter, like the sound of the horn in the woodlands, and when the
page went on, "Oh, Rose of mystery," the lady, who certainly heard
distinctly, replied by a gentle sigh. Thereupon Rene suspected that
Droll Stories, V. 1 |
