| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Herland by Charlotte Gilman: I remember the first time--and how careful we were about
our clothes, and our amateur barbering. Terry, in particular, was
fussy to a degree about the cut of his beard, and so critical of our
combined efforts, that we handed him the shears and told him
to please himself. We began to rather prize those beards of ours;
they were almost our sole distinction among those tall and sturdy
women, with their cropped hair and sexless costume. Being
offered a wide selection of garments, we had chosen according to
our personal taste, and were surprised to find, on meeting large
audiences, that we were the most highly decorated, especially Terry.
He was a very impressive figure, his strong features softened
Herland |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbot: Policeman Policeman
Touched by my Wife's distress, I would have sprung downward
to reassure her, but I found myself incapable of motion.
"Trouble not yourself about your Wife," said my Guide:
"she will not be long left in anxiety; meantime, let us take
a survey of Flatland."
Once more I felt myself rising through space. It was even as
the Sphere had said. The further we receded from the object
we beheld, the larger became the field of vision. My native city,
with the interior of every house and every creature therein,
lay open to my view in miniature. We mounted higher, and lo,
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Aeroplanes and Dirigibles of War by Frederick A. Talbot: or to launch a smoking missile which answers the same purpose as
a projectile provided with a tracer. This smoke-ball being
dropped over the position leaves a trail of black or whitish
smoke according to the climatic conditions which prevail, the
object being to enable the signal to be picked up with the
greatest facility. The height at which the aerial craft is
flying being known, a little triangulation upon the part of the
observer at the firing point enables him to calculate the range
and to have the guns laid accordingly.
When the aerial craft has been entrusted with the especial duty
of directing artillery-fire, a system of communication between
|
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 End of the Tether by Joseph Conrad: sky, perhaps the lights of a home steamer keeping her
unswerving course in the middle, or maybe the elusive
shadow of a native craft with her mat sails flitting by
silently--and the low land on the other side in sight
at daylight. At noon the three palms of the next place
of call, up a sluggish river. The only white man re-
siding there was a retired young sailor, with whom he
had become friendly in the course of many voyages.
Sixty miles farther on there was another place of call,
a deep bay with only a couple of houses on the beach.
And so on, in and out, picking up coastwise cargo here
End of the Tether |
