| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Paradise Lost by John Milton: These passed, if any pass, the void profound
Of unessential Night receives him next,
Wide-gaping, and with utter loss of being
Threatens him, plunged in that abortive gulf.
If thence he scape, into whatever world,
Or unknown region, what remains him less
Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape?
But I should ill become this throne, O Peers,
And this imperial sovereignty, adorned
With splendour, armed with power, if aught proposed
And judged of public moment in the shape
Paradise Lost |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Some Reminiscences by Joseph Conrad: the only one solitary thing which they left whole was a small
ivory crucifix, which remained hanging on the wall in the wrecked
bedroom above a wild heap of rags, broken mahogany and splintered
boards which had been Mr. Nicholas B.'s bedstead. Detecting the
servant in the act of stealing away with a japanned tin box, they
tore it from him, and because he resisted they threw him out of
the dining-room window. The house was on one floor but raised
well above the ground, and the fall was so serious that the man
remained lying stunned till the cook and a stable-boy ventured
forth at dusk from their hiding-places and picked him up. By
that time the mob had departed carrying off the tin box, which
Some Reminiscences |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Rewards and Fairies by Rudyard Kipling: ('Gay go up' means 'gay go down' the wide world o'er!)
How far is St Helena from an Emperor of France?
I cannot see - I cannot tell - the crowns they dazzle so.
The Kings sit down to dinner, and the Queens stand up to dance.
(After open weather you may look for snow!)
How far is St Helena from the Capes of Trafalgar?
A longish way - a longish way - with ten year more to run.
It's South across the water underneath a setting star.
(What you cannot finish you must leave undone!)
How far is St Helena from the Beresina ice?
An ill way - a chill way - the ice begins to crack.
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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 Walking by Henry David Thoreau: might have walked about the foot of the tree for threescore years
and ten, and yet I certainly should never have seen them. But,
above all, I discovered around me--it was near the end of
June--on the ends of the topmost branches only, a few minute and
delicate red conelike blossoms, the fertile flower of the white
pine looking heavenward. I carried straightway to the village the
topmost spire, and showed it to stranger jurymen who walked the
streets--for it was court week--and to farmers and lumber-dealers
and woodchoppers and hunters, and not one had ever seen the like
before, but they wondered as at a star dropped down. Tell of
ancient architects finishing their works on the tops of columns
Walking |
