| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Several Works by Edgar Allan Poe: fro more merrily than ever, taking hue from the many tinted windows
through which stream the rays from the tripods. But to the chamber
which lies most westwardly of the seven, there are now none of the
maskers who venture; for the night is waning away; and there flows
a ruddier light through the blood-coloured panes; and the blackness
of the sable drapery appals; and to him whose foot falls upon the
sable carpet, there comes from the near clock of ebony a muffled
peal more solemnly emphatic than any which reaches their ears
who indulged in the more remote gaieties of the other apartments.
But these other apartments were densely crowded, and in them
beat feverishly the heart of life. And the revel went whirlingly
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Wheels of Chance by H. G. Wells: hand. Hoopdriver felt himself a lost man. He took the screwdriver
with a tepid "Thanks," and incontinently had another inspiration.
"I say," he said again.
"Well?"
"This is miles too big."
The man lit the lantern, brought it up to Hoopdriver and put it
down on the ground. "Want a smaller screwdriver?" he said.
Hoopdriver had his handkerchief out and sneezed a prompt ATICHEW.
It is the orthodox thing when you wish to avoid recognition. "As
small as you have," he said, out of his pocket handkerchief.
"I ain't got none smaller than that," said the ostler.
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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 The Reign of King Edward the Third by William Shakespeare: And, tyranny, strike terror to thy self.
SECOND CITIZEN.
Long live your highness! happy be your reign!
KING EDWARD.
Go, get you hence, return unto the town,
And if this kindness hath deserved your love,
Learn then to reverence Edward as your king.--
[Exeunt Citizens.]
Now, might we hear of our affairs abroad,
We would, till gloomy Winter were o'er spent,
Dispose our men in garrison a while.
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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 Arrow of Gold by Joseph Conrad: fidelity, also frivolity; and as for invocations there are plenty
of them, too; for instance: alas, heaven help me."
We stood very close together, her narrow eyes were as enigmatic as
ever, but that face, which, like some ideal conception of art, was
incapable of anything like untruth and grimace, expressed by some
mysterious means such a depth of infinite patience that I felt
profoundly ashamed of myself.
"This thing is beyond words altogether," I said. "Beyond
forgiveness, beyond forgetting, beyond anger or jealousy. . . .
There is nothing between us two that could make us act together."
"Then we must fall back perhaps on something within us, that - you
The Arrow of Gold |
