| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Thus Spake Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche: himself, but still sorely lacketh self-obedience!
5.
Thus wisheth the type of noble souls: they desire to have nothing
GRATUITOUSLY, least of all, life.
He who is of the populace wisheth to live gratuitously; we others, however,
to whom life hath given itself--we are ever considering WHAT we can best
give IN RETURN!
And verily, it is a noble dictum which saith: "What life promiseth US,
that promise will WE keep--to life!"
One should not wish to enjoy where one doth not contribute to the
enjoyment. And one should not WISH to enjoy!
Thus Spake Zarathustra |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay: helplessly watched the last flickerings of aer spirit, going out like
a candle in foul air. Death came.... He closed the eyes. The awful
grin of Crystalman immediately fastened upon the phaen's dead
features.
While Maskull was still kneeling, he became conscious of someone
standing beside him. He looked up quickly and saw a man, but did not
at once rise.
"Another phaen dead," said the newcomer in a grave, toneless, and
intellectual voice.
Maskull got up.
The man was short and thickset but emaciated. His forehead was not
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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 Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: As Bud ceased, she touched the wondering Fairies with her wand,
and the dark faded garments fell away; and beneath, the robes
of lily-leaves glittered pure and spotless in the sun-light.
Then, while happy tears fell, Queen Dew-Drop placed the bright crowns
on the bowed heads of the kneeling Fairies, and laid before them
the wands their own good deeds had rendered powerful.
They turned to thank little Bud for all her patient love,
but she was gone; and high above, in the clear air, they saw
the little form journeying back to the quiet forest.
She needed no reward but the joy she had given. The Fairy hearts
were pure again, and her work was done; yet all Fairy-Land had learned
Flower Fables |
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 A Princess of Parms by Edgar Rice Burroughs: retinue and my belongings. A murmur of Martian applause
greeted me, but I cared not for it.
Bleeding and weak I reached my women, who, accustomed to
such happenings, dressed my wounds, applying the wonderful
healing and remedial agents which make only the most
instantaneous of death blows fatal. Give a Martian woman
a chance and death must take a back seat. They soon had
me patched up so that, except for weakness from loss of
blood and a little soreness around the wound, I suffered no
great distress from this thrust which, under earthly treatment,
undoubtedly would have put me flat on my back for days.
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