| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Kenilworth by Walter Scott: what is thy business with me, and what hopes have drawn thee
hither?"
"The hope of bettering myself, to be sure," answered Lambourne,
"as the old woman said when she leapt over the bridge at
Kingston. Look you, this purse has all that is left of as round
a sum as a man would wish to carry in his slop-pouch. You are
here well established, it would seem, and, as I think, well
befriended, for men talk of thy being under some special
protection--nay, stare not like a pig that is stuck, mon; thou
canst not dance in a net and they not see thee. Now I know such
protection is not purchased for nought; you must have services to
Kenilworth |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Bucolics by Virgil: Coppice or lowly tamarisk: sing we woods,
Woods worthy of a Consul let them be.
Now the last age by Cumae's Sibyl sung
Has come and gone, and the majestic roll
Of circling centuries begins anew:
Justice returns, returns old Saturn's reign,
With a new breed of men sent down from heaven.
Only do thou, at the boy's birth in whom
The iron shall cease, the golden race arise,
Befriend him, chaste Lucina; 'tis thine own
Apollo reigns. And in thy consulate,
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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 Kenilworth by Walter Scott: none but some poor groom or porter."
"I know that," said the youth; "but I am resolved I will have my
own cloak, ay, and brush my doublet to boot, ere I stir forth
with you."
"Well, well," said Blount, "here is a coil about a doublet and a
cloak. Get thyself ready, a God's name!"
They were soon launched on the princely bosom of the broad
Thames, upon which the sun now shone forth in all its splendour.
"There are two things scarce matched in the universe," said
Walter to Blount--"the sun in heaven, and the Thames on the
earth."
Kenilworth |
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 Rewards and Fairies by Rudyard Kipling: other. There is only the one Mother for the one son. I heaped the
fire for her, and barred the doors, and sat at her feet as before I
went away, and she combed my hair, and sang.
'I said at last, "What is to be done to the people who say that I
am Tyr?"
'She said, "He who has done a God-like thing must bear
himself like a God. I see no way out of it. The people are now your
sheep till you die. You cannot drive them off."
'I said, "This is a heavier sheep than I can lift." She said, "In
time it will grow easy. In time perhaps you will not lay it down
for any maiden anywhere. Be wise - be very wise, my son, for
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