| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Court Life in China by Isaac Taylor Headland: than of diamonds, may be found in abundance in all the bazars,
which are many, and judging from the way they are purchased by
tourists, are both cheaper and better than elsewhere.
The Chinese have little appreciation of diamonds as jewelry. On
one occasion there was offered to me a beautiful ring containing
a large sapphire encircled by twenty diamonds. When I offered the
dealer less than he asked for it, he said: "No, rather than sell
it for that price, I will tear it apart, and sell the diamonds
separately for drill-points to the tinkers who mend dishes. I can
make more from it in that way, only I dislike to spoil the ring."
The Empress Dowager during her late years, and many of the ladies
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Phantasmagoria and Other Poems by Lewis Carroll: stanzas describe the two main words, and each subsequent stanza one
of the cross "lights."
No. II. was written after seeing Miss Ellen Terry perform in the
play of "Hamlet." In this case the first stanza describes the two
main words.
No. III. was written after seeing Miss Marion Terry perform in Mr.
Gilbert's play of "Pygmalion and Galatea." The three stanzas
respectively describe "My First," "My Second," and "My Whole."]
I
THERE was an ancient City, stricken down
With a strange frenzy, and for many a day
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