| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: when the rain has spoilt your fine one; and do not stay here, or
we will do you harm."
Then they waved their broad leaves stormily, and scattered the heavy
drops on his dripping garments.
"Now must I go to the humble daisies and blue violets," said Thistle,
"they will be glad to let in so fine a Fairy, and I shall die in
this cold wind and rain."
So away he flew, as fast as his heavy wings would bear him, to the
daisies; but they nodded their heads wisely, and closed their leaves
yet closer, saying sharply,--
"Go away with yourself, and do not imagine we will open our leaves
Flower Fables |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Crisis in Russia by Arthur Ransome: anomalies were largely due to historical accidents, such as
the caprice of Peter the Great, and not to any economic
reasons. The revolution, destructive as it has been, has at
least cleaned the slate and made it possible, if it is possible to
rebuild at all, to rebuild Russia on foundations laid by
common sense. It may be said that the Communists are
merely doing flamboyantly and with a lot of flag-waving,
what any other Russian Government would be doing in their
place. And without the flamboyance and the flag-waving, it
is doubtful whether in an exhausted country, it would be
possible to get anything done at all. The result of this is that
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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 Idylls of the King by Alfred Tennyson: The damsel in her wrath, and on to this
Sir Gareth strode, and saw without the door
King Arthur's gift, the worth of half a town,
A warhorse of the best, and near it stood
The two that out of north had followed him:
This bare a maiden shield, a casque; that held
The horse, the spear; whereat Sir Gareth loosed
A cloak that dropt from collar-bone to heel,
A cloth of roughest web, and cast it down,
And from it like a fuel-smothered fire,
That lookt half-dead, brake bright, and flashed as those
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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 The Deputy of Arcis by Honore de Balzac: 'could this man, this sculptor, know anything about the intricate
business of registering archives?' And you would be right in
condemning such royal caprice; for what becomes of long and honorable
services, justly acquired rights, and steady promotion under such a
system of arbitrary choice? It is that I may not be the accomplice of
this crying abuse, because I think it neither just nor honest nor
useful to obtain in this way important public functions, that I
denounce the system and bind myself to accept no office. Is this,
monsieur, pouring contempt on public functions? Is it not rather
lifting them to higher honor?"
Monsieur Godivet declared himself satisfied, and said no more.
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