| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Book of Remarkable Criminals by H. B. Irving: penal servitude for burglary in Manchester. He has lived in
Manchester, Salford, and Liverpool and Hull."
This description was altered later and Peace's age given as
forty-six. As a matter of fact he was only forty-four at this
time, but he looked very much older. Peace had lost one of
his fingers. He said that it had been shot off by a man with
whom he had quarrelled, but it was believed to be more likely
that he had himself shot it off accidentally in handling one of
his revolvers. It was to conceal this obvious means of
identification that Peace made himself the false arm which he was
in the habit of wearing. This was of gutta percha, with a hole
A Book of Remarkable Criminals |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Muse of the Department by Honore de Balzac: romance was that it should be interesting. As to style, no one cared
for that, not even the author; as to ideas--zero; as to local color--
/non est/. By degrees the reader has demanded style, interest, pathos,
and complete information; he insists on the five literary senses--
Invention, Style, Thought, Learning, and Feeling. Then some criticism
commenting on everything. The critic, incapable of inventing anything
but calumny, pronounces every work that proceeds from a not perfect
brain to be deformed. Some magicians, as Walter Scott, for instance,
having appeared in the world, who combined all the five literary
senses, such writers as had but one--wit or learning, style or feeling
--these cripples, these acephalous, maimed or purblind creatures--in a
The Muse of the Department |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Chessmen of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: man, and could bring but one."
"You have done well, I-Gos," O-Tar hastened to assure him, for
when he learned that Gahan might still be in the haunted chambers
he wished to appease the wrath of I-Gos, knowing well the
vitriolic tongue and temper of the ancient one. "You think she is
no Corphal, then, I-Gos?" he asked, wishing to carry the subject
from the man who was still at large.
"No more than you," replied the ancient taxidermist.
O-Tar looked long and searchingly at Tara of Helium. All the
beauty that was hers seemed suddenly to be carried to every fibre
of his consciousness. She was still garbed in the rich harness of
The Chessmen of Mars |
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 Kenilworth by Walter Scott: block and sharp axes."
So saying, Blount arose and left the hall, while Raleigh looked
after him with an expression that blanked for a moment his bold
and animated countenance.
Stanley just then entered the hall, and said to Tressilian, "My
lord is calling for your fellow Wayland, and your fellow Wayland
is just come hither in a sculler, and is calling for you, nor
will he go to my lord till he sees you. The fellow looks as he
were mazed, methinks; I would you would see him immediately."
Tressilian instantly left the hall, and causing Wayland Smith to
be shown into a withdrawing apartment, and lights placed, he
Kenilworth |
