| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs: Archer a man, also?
Did men eat men? Alas, he did not know. Why, then, this
hesitancy! Once more he essayed the effort, but a qualm of
nausea overwhelmed him. He did not understand.
All he knew was that he could not eat the flesh of this
black man, and thus hereditary instinct, ages old, usurped the
functions of his untaught mind and saved him from transgressing
a worldwide law of whose very existence he was ignorant.
Quickly he lowered Kulonga's body to the ground, removed
the noose, and took to the trees again.
Chapter 10
Tarzan of the Apes |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas: Raoul colored deeply, but made no reply.
"You do not appear to understand me, monsieur le vicomte,"
persisted M. de la Fere, without accenting his words more
strongly, but with a rather severer look.
"I understand you quite plainly, monsieur," replied Raoul,
"and if I hesitate a little in my reply, you are well
assured I am not seeking for a falsehood."
"No, you cannot tell a lie, and that makes me so astonished
you should be so long in saying yes or no."
"I cannot answer you without understanding you very well,
and if I have understood you, you will take my first words
Ten Years Later |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) by Dante Alighieri: "Ah, when thou hast returned unto the world,
And rested thee from thy long journeying,"
After the second followed the third spirit,
"Do thou remember me who am the Pia;
Siena made me, unmade me Maremma;
He knoweth it, who had encircled first,
Espousing me, my finger with his gem."
Purgatorio: Canto VI
Whene'er is broken up the game of Zara,
He who has lost remains behind despondent,
The throws repeating, and in sadness learns;
The Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) |
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 Snow Image by Nathaniel Hawthorne: quantity of snow the children have brought in on their feet! It
has made quite a puddle here before the stove. Pray tell Dora to
bring some towels and mop it up!"
THE GREAT STONE FACE
One afternoon, when the sun was going down, a mother and her
little boy sat at the door of their cottage, talking about the
Great Stone Face. They had but to lift their eyes, and there it
was plainly to be seen, though miles away, with the sunshine
brightening all its features.
And what was the Great Stone Face?
Embosomed amongst a family of lofty mountains, there was a valley
The Snow Image |
