| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tao Teh King by Lao-tze: arise.
4. Therefore the sage knows (these things) of himself, but does not
parade (his knowledge); loves, but does not (appear to set a) value
on, himself. And thus he puts the latter alternative away and makes
choice of the former.
73. 1. He whose boldness appears in his daring (to do wrong, in
defiance of the laws) is put to death; he whose boldness appears in
his not daring (to do so) lives on. Of these two cases the one
appears to be advantageous, and the other to be injurious. But
When Heaven's anger smites a man,
Who the cause shall truly scan?
|
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: universe, but not an immortal one; we must look elsewhere if we
are to be clothed with immortality as with a garment."
It is at this point that our authors call attention to "the
apparently wasteful character of the arrangements of the visible
universe." The fact is one which we have already sufficiently
described, but we shall do well to quote the words in which our
authors recur to it: "All but a very small portion of the sun's
heat goes day by day into what we call empty space, and it is
only this very small remainder that is made use of by the various
planets for purposes of their own. Can anything be more
perplexing than this seemingly frightful expenditure of the very
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 Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe: immeasurably!--things that I had no language to say!
"In those days, this matter of slavery had never been
canvassed as it has now; nobody dreamed of any harm in it.
"My father was a born aristocrat. I think, in some
preexistent state, he must have been in the higher circles of
spirits, and brought all his old court pride along with him; for
it was ingrain, bred in the bone, though he was originally of
poor and not in any way of noble family. My brother was begotten
in his image.
"Now, an aristocrat, you know, the world over, has no human
sympathies, beyond a certain line in society. In England the line
Uncle Tom's Cabin |
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 Great God Pan by Arthur Machen: If I were you I would burn it; it must be a terrible companion
even though it be in a chest."
"Yes, they are singular drawings. But I wonder what
connection there could be between Meyrick and Mrs. Herbert, or
what link between her and these designs?"
"Ah, who can say? It is possible that the matter may
end here, and we shall never know, but in my own opinion this
Helen Vaughan, or Mrs. Herbert, is only the beginning. She
will come back to London, Austin; depend on it, she will come
back, and we shall hear more about her then. I doubt it will
be very pleasant news."
The Great God Pan |
