| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Vailima Prayers & Sabbath Morn by Robert Louis Stevenson: cold hearths, and open doors. Give us to awake with smiles, give
us to labour smiling. As the sun returns in the east, so let our
patience be renewed with dawn; as the sun lightens the world, so
let our loving-kindness make bright this house of our habitation.
ANOTHER FOR EVENING
LORD, receive our supplications for this house, family, and
country. Protect the innocent, restrain the greedy and the
treacherous, lead us out of our tribulation into a quiet land.
Look down upon ourselves and upon our absent dear ones. Help us
and them; prolong our days in peace and honour. Give us health,
food, bright weather, and light hearts. In what we meditate of
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Maid Marian by Thomas Love Peacock: Robin was very devout, though there was great unity in his religion:
it was exclusively given to our Lady the Virgin, and he never set forth
in a morning till he had said three prayers, and had heard the sweet
voice of his Marian singing a hymn to their mutual patroness. Each of
his men had, as usual, a patron saint according to his name or taste.
The friar chose a saint for himself, and fixed on Saint Botolph,
whom he euphonised into Saint Bottle, and maintained that he was
that very Panomphic Pantagruelian saint, well known in ancient
France as a female divinity, by the name of La Dive Bouteille,
whose oracular monosyllable "Trincq,', is celebrated and under-stood
by all nations, and is expounded by the learned doctor Alcofribas,[6]
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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 Love and Friendship by Jane Austen: should pity her.
JAMES the 1st
Though this King had some faults, among which and as the most
principal, was his allowing his Mother's death, yet considered on
the whole I cannot help liking him. He married Anne of Denmark,
and had several Children; fortunately for him his eldest son
Prince Henry died before his father or he might have experienced
the evils which befell his unfortunate Brother.
As I am myself partial to the roman catholic religion, it is with
infinite regret that I am obliged to blame the Behaviour of any
Member of it: yet Truth being I think very excusable in an
Love and Friendship |
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 Virginibus Puerisque by Robert Louis Stevenson: fortune, who remain underbred and pathetically stupid to the
last. And meantime there goes the idler, who began life along
with them - by your leave, a different picture. He has had
time to take care of his health and his spirits; he has been a
great deal in the open air, which is the most salutary of all
things for both body and mind; and if he has never read the
great Book in very recondite places, he has dipped into it and
skimmed it over to excellent purpose. Might not the student
afford some Hebrew roots, and the business man some of his
half-crowns, for a share of the idler's knowledge of life at
large, and Art of Living? Nay, and the idler has another and
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