| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzsche: and actors of these ideas, their best soldiers, and likewise,
alas! their first and profoundest VICTIMS; for owing to the
diabolical Anglomania of "modern ideas," the AME FRANCAIS has in
the end become so thin and emaciated, that at present one recalls
its sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, its profound, passionate
strength, its inventive excellency, almost with disbelief. One
must, however, maintain this verdict of historical justice in a
determined manner, and defend it against present prejudices and
appearances: the European NOBLESSE--of sentiment, taste, and
manners, taking the word in every high sense--is the work and
invention of FRANCE; the European ignobleness, the plebeianism of
Beyond Good and Evil |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from At the Earth's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs: Their arms and necks were encircled by many ornaments of
metal--silver predominating--and on their tunics were sewn
the heads of tiny reptiles in odd and rather artistic designs.
They talked among themselves as they marched along on
either side of us, but in a language which I perceived
differed from that employed by our fellow prisoners.
When they addressed the latter they used what appeared
to be a third language, and which I later learned is
a mongrel tongue rather analogous to the Pidgin-English
of the Chinese coolie.
How far we marched I have no conception, nor has Perry.
At the Earth's Core |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Of The Nature of Things by Lucretius: The whole wide world, and all things needs must take
One status after other, nor aught persists
Forever like itself. All things depart;
Nature she changeth all, compelleth all
To transformation. Lo, this moulders down,
A-slack with weary eld, and that, again,
Prospers in glory, issuing from contempt.
In suchwise, then, the lapsing aeons change
The nature of the whole wide world, and earth
Taketh one status after other. And what
She bore of old, she now can bear no longer,
Of The Nature of Things |
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 Tales of the Klondyke by Jack London: way down to Sitka on an otter hunter. Picked up with Happy Jack
there--know him?"
"Had charge of my traps for me," Dick answered, "down on the
Columbia. Pretty wild, wasn't he, with a warm place in his heart
for whiskey and women?"
"The very chap. Went trading with him for a couple of seasons--
hooch, and blankets, and such stuff. Then got a sloop of my own,
and not to cut him out, came down Juneau way. That's where I met
Killisnoo; I called her Tilly for short. Met her at a squaw dance
down on the beach. Chief George had finished the year's trade
with the Sticks over the Passes, and was down from Dyea with half
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