| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Ancient Regime by Charles Kingsley: appear) a high wall was erected, which was guarded day and night;
that the English navy was in the hands of the Order; that they had
MSS. written by Hugo de Paganis (a mythic hero who often figures in
these fables); that their treasure was in only three places in the
world, in Ballenstadt, in the icy mountains of Savoy, and in China;
that whosoever drew on himself the displeasure of the Order,
perished both body and soul; who degraded his rival Rosa to the
sound of military music, and after having had, like every dog, his
day, died in prison in the Wartburg;--of the Rosicrucians, who were
accused of wanting to support and advance the Catholic religion--one
would think the accusation was very unnecessary, seeing that their
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Forged Coupon by Leo Tolstoy: his diocese.
"It all comes from weakness of spirit and from
ignorance. You are a learned man, and I rely on
you. Go to the village, call the parishioners to-
gether, and convince them of their error."
"If your Grace bids me go, and you give me
your blessing, I will do my best," said Father
Missael. He was very pleased with the task en-
trusted to him. Every opportunity he could find
to demonstrate the firmness of his faith was a
boon to him. In trying to convince others he was
The Forged Coupon |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: rage, altogether barbarous, and of a fury something beyond what was
human, that we thought it impossible our men could be guilty of it;
or, if they were the authors of it, we thought they ought to be
every one of them put to the worst of deaths. But this was not
all: we saw the fire increase forward, and the cry went on just as
the fire went on; so that we were in the utmost confusion. We
advanced a little way farther, and behold, to our astonishment,
three naked women, and crying in a most dreadful manner, came
flying as if they had wings, and after them sixteen or seventeen
men, natives, in the same terror and consternation, with three of
our English butchers in the rear, who, when they could not overtake
Robinson Crusoe |
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: mention our reading in a foot-note.
The Arguments prefixed to the Books are taken, with very
slight alterations, from Hobbes' Translation of the
Odyssey.
It is hoped that the Introduction added to the second
edition may illustrate the growth of those national legends
on which Homer worked, and may elucidate the plot of the
Odyssey.
PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION.
Wet owe our thanks to the Rev. E. Warre, of Eton College,
for certain corrections on nautical points. In particular,
The Odyssey |
