| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Divine Comedy (translated by H.F. Cary) by Dante Alighieri: date is explicitly marked.
v. 16. That planet's beam.] The sun.
v. 29. The hinder foot.] It is to be remembered, that in
ascending a hill the weight of the body rests on the hinder foot.
v. 30. A panther.] Pleasure or luxury.
v. 36. With those stars.] The sun was in Aries, in which sign
he supposes it to have begun its course at the creation.
v. 43. A lion.] Pride or ambition.
v. 45. A she wolf.] Avarice.
v. 56. Where the sun in silence rests.] Hence Milton appears to
have taken his idea in the Samson Agonistes:
The Divine Comedy (translated by H.F. Cary) |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Baby Mine by Margaret Mayo: confidence in his friend.
"I'm afraid I've disturbed you," sneered Alfred.
"Oh, no, not at all," answered Jimmy, affecting a careless
indifference that he did not feel and unconsciously shaking hands
with the waiting secretary.
Reminded of the secretary's presence in such a distinctly family
scene, Alfred turned to him with annoyance.
"Go into my study," he said. "I'll be with you presently.
Here's your list," he added and he thrust a long memorandum into
the secretary's hand. Johnson retired as unobtrusively as
possible and the two old friends were left alone. There was
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