| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Iliad by Homer: the face of heaven--the Pleiads, the Hyads, huge Orion, and the
Bear, which men also call the Wain and which turns round ever in
one place, facing. Orion, and alone never dips into the stream of
Oceanus.
He wrought also two cities, fair to see and busy with the hum of
men. In the one were weddings and wedding-feasts, and they were
going about the city with brides whom they were escorting by
torchlight from their chambers. Loud rose the cry of Hymen, and
the youths danced to the music of flute and lyre, while the women
stood each at her house door to see them.
Meanwhile the people were gathered in assembly, for there was a
The Iliad |
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 Secret Places of the Heart by H. G. Wells: in the clumsy skirts and frills that it was the custom to
inflict on women in those days. Her hair was tied up in a
blue handkerchief. She ran swiftly and gracefully, intent
upon the white line of foam ahead. I can still remember how
the sunlight touched her round neck and cheek as she went
past me. She was the loveliest, most shapely thing I have
ever seen--to this day. She lifted up her arms and thrust
through the dazzling white and green breakers and plunged
into the water and swam; she swam straight out for a long way
as it seemed to me, and presently came in and passed me again
on her way back to her tent, light and swift and sure. The
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