| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: of this shooting match; but thou, Gilbert, art the best archer of all
the King's guard, and to thee I freely give this purse of gold.
Take it, man, and would it were ten times as much, for thou art
a right yeoman, good and true. Furthermore, to each of the ten
that last shot I give one of these golden shafts apiece.
Keep them always by you, so that ye may tell your grandchildren,
an ye are ever blessed with them, that ye are the very stoutest
yeomen in all the wide world."
At this all shouted aloud, for it pleased them to hear Robin
speak so of them.
Then up spake Little John. "Good friend Tepus," said he, "I want
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Vailima Prayers & Sabbath Morn by Robert Louis Stevenson: pleasures; but, like the voice of a bird singing in the rain, let
grateful memory survive in the hour of darkness. If there be in
front of us any painful duty, strengthen us with the grace of
courage; if any act of mercy, teach us tenderness and patience.
ANOTHER IN TIME OF RAIN
LORD, Thou sendest down rain upon the uncounted millions of the
forest, and givest the trees to drink exceedingly. We are here
upon this isle a few handfuls of men, and how many myriads upon
myriads of stalwart trees! Teach us the lesson of the trees. The
sea around us, which this rain recruits, teems with the race of
fish; teach us, Lord, the meaning of the fishes. Let us see
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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 Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer: (it made me think of the membrana nictitans in a bird)
which, obscuring them as I threw wide the door, seemed to lift
as I actually passed the threshold, revealing the eyes in all
their brilliant iridescence.
I know that I stopped dead, one foot within the room, for the
malignant force of the man was something surpassing my experience.
He was surprised by this sudden intrusion--yes, but no trace of fear
showed upon that wonderful face, only a sort of pitying contempt.
And, as I paused, he rose slowly to his feet, never removing his
gaze from mine.
"IT'S FU-MANCHU!" cried Smith over my shoulder, in a voice
The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu |
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 Love Songs by Sara Teasdale: It is enough to feel his love
Blow by like music over me.
Come
Come, when the pale moon like a petal
Floats in the pearly dusk of spring,
Come with arms outstretched to take me,
Come with lips pursed up to cling.
Come, for life is a frail moth flying,
Caught in the web of the years that pass,
And soon we two, so warm and eager,
Will be as the gray stones in the grass.
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