| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Economist by Xenophon: of life, vegetable and animal, under her auspices spring up and are
reared outside the fortified defences of the city. For which reason
also this way of life stood in the highest repute in the eyes of
statesmen and commonwealths, as furnishing the best citizens and those
best disposed to the common weal.[9]
[8] Cf. Aristot. "Oec." I. ii. 1343 B, {pros toutois k.t.l.}
[9] Cf. Aristoph. "Archarnians."
Crit. I think I am fully persuaded as to the propriety of making
agriculture the basis of life. I see it is altogether noblest, best,
and pleasantest to do so. But I should like to revert to your remark
that you understood the reason why the tillage of one man brings him
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by H. P. Lovecraft: covetousness; for verily, they craved the weird loveliness of
that which your fancy had fashioned, and vowed that henceforward
no other spot should be their abode.
"They are gone from their
castle on unknown Kadath to dwell in your marvellous city. All
through its palaces of veined marble they revel by day, and when
the sun sets they go out in the perfumed gardens and watch the
golden glory on temples and colonnades, arched bridges and silver-basined
fountains, and wide streets with blossom-laden urns and ivory
statues in gleaming rows. And when night comes they climb tall
terraces in the dew, and sit on carved benches of porphyry scanning
The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Scenes from a Courtesan's Life by Honore de Balzac: "That is quite in her style," thought Trompe-la-Mort.
By seven in the evening this document, written and sealed, was placed
by Asie under Esther's bolster.
"Jacques," said she, flying upstairs again, "just as I came out of the
room justice marched in----"
"The justice of the peace you mean?"
"No, my son. The justice of the peace was there, but he had gendarmes
with him. The public prosecutor and the examining judge are there too,
and the doors are guarded."
"This death has made a stir very quickly," remarked Jacques Collin.
"Ay, and Paccard and Europe have vanished; I am afraid they may have
|
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 Blue Flower by Henry van Dyke: Before he could strike I should be out of reach."
"Well," said I, "it is a grim thought, at all events, that
this house, once a cheerful home, no doubt, should have fallen
at last to be the dwelling of such a vile creature."
"Fallen!" he exclaimed. Then he repeated the word with a
questioning accent--"fallen? Are you sure of that? The snake,
in his way, may be quite as honest as the people who lived here
before him, and not much more harmful. The farmer was a miser
who robbed his mother, quarrelled with his brother, and starved
his wife. What she lacked in food, she made up in drink, when
she could. One of the children, a girl, was a cripple, lamed by
|
