| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens: setting down his cup, and laughing,--'by whom?'
'By a man called Dennis--for many years the hangman, and to-morrow
morning the hanged,' returned the locksmith.
Sir John had expected--had been quite certain from the first--that
he would say he had come from Hugh, and was prepared to meet him on
that point. But this answer occasioned him a degree of
astonishment, which, for the moment, he could not, with all his
command of feature, prevent his face from expressing. He quickly
subdued it, however, and said in the same light tone:
'And what does the gentleman require of me? My memory may be at
fault again, but I don't recollect that I ever had the pleasure of
Barnaby Rudge |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Walking by Henry David Thoreau: destined to have a speedy limit.
In society, in the best institutions of men, it is easy to detect
a certain precocity. When we should still be growing children, we
are already little men. Give me a culture which imports much muck
from the meadows, and deepens the soil--not that which trusts to
heating manures, and improved implements and modes of culture
only!
Many a poor sore-eyed student that I have heard of would grow
faster, both intellectually and physically, if, instead of
sitting up so very late, he honestly slumbered a fool's
allowance.
Walking |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Perfect Wagnerite: A Commentary on the Niblung's Ring by George Bernard Shaw: Preface to the First Edition
This book is a commentary on The Ring of the Niblungs, Wagner's
chief work. I offer it to those enthusiastic admirers of Wagner
who are unable to follow his ideas, and do not in the least
understand the dilemma of Wotan, though they are filled with
indignation at the irreverence of the Philistines who frankly
avow that they find the remarks of the god too often tedious and
nonsensical. Now to be devoted to Wagner merely as a dog is
devoted to his master, sharing a few elementary ideas, appetites
and emotions with him, and, for the rest, reverencing his
superiority without understanding it, is no true Wagnerism. Yet
|
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 Master of the World by Jules Verne: extending north and south. As to the surrounding-wall, what was its
height, what the character of its crest, I could not judge. Above us
was gathered a fog so heavy, that the rays of the sun had not yet
pierced it. Heavy trails of cloud drifted across the sandy floor,
Doubtless the morning was still young, and this mist might later be
dissolved.
It was quite cold here, although this was the first day of August. I
concluded therefore that we must be far in the north, or else high
above sea-level. We must still be somewhere on the New Continent;
though where, it was impossible to surmise. Yet no matter how rapid
our flight had been, the air-ship could not have traversed either
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