| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Lamentable Tragedy of Locrine and Mucedorus by William Shakespeare: Went to behold the pleasant flowering fields;
Hector and Troialus, Priamus lovely sons,
Chasing the Graecians over Simoeis,
Were not to be compared to these two knights.
ALBA.
Well hast thou painted out in eloquence
The portraiture of Humber and his son,
As fortunate as was Policrates;
Yet should they not escape our conquering swords,
Or boast of ought but of our clemency.
[Enter Strumbo and Trompart, crying often;
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Blix by Frank Norris: you; but as for loving each other, you know we don't. Yes, you
say that you love me and that I'm the only girl. That's part of
the game. I can play it"--her little eyes began to dance--"quite
as well as you. But it's playing with something that's quite too
serious to be played with--after all, isn't it, now? It's
insincere, and, as I tell you, from now on I'm going to be as true
and as sincere and as honest as I can."
"But I tell you that I DO love you," protested Condy, trying to
make the words ring true.
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from House of Mirth by Edith Wharton: is that, after the use Bertha chose to make of me--after all that
her behaviour has since implied--it's impossible that you and I
should meet."
He continued to stand before her, in his dogged weakness. "Is
it--need it be? Mightn't there be circumstances---?" he checked
himself, slashing at the wayside weeds in a wider radius. Then he
began again: "Miss Bart, listen--give me a minute. If we're not
to meet again, at least let me have a hearing now. You say we
can't be friends after--after what has happened. But can't I at
least appeal to your pity? Can't I move you if I ask you to think
of me as a prisoner--a prisoner you alone can set free?"
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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 Child of Storm by H. Rider Haggard: only half cooked upon the point of an assegai, tasted very good, the
Zulu put his head into the mouth of the shelter and asked if we were
ready. I nodded, and, supporting each other, Scowl and I limped from
the place. Outside were about fifty soldiers, who greeted us with a
shout that, although it was mixed with laughter at our pitiable
appearance, struck me as not altogether unfriendly. Amongst these men
was my horse, which stood with its head hanging down, looking very
depressed. I was helped on to its back, and, Scowl clinging to the
stirrup leather, we were led a distance of about a quarter of a mile to
Cetewayo.
We found him seated, in the full blaze of the evening sun, on the
Child of Storm |
