| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from King Lear by William Shakespeare: Lear. My Lord of Burgundy,
We first address toward you, who with this king
Hath rivall'd for our daughter. What in the least
Will you require in present dower with her,
Or cease your quest of love?
Bur. Most royal Majesty,
I crave no more than hath your Highness offer'd,
Nor will you tender less.
Lear. Right noble Burgundy,
When she was dear to us, we did hold her so;
But now her price is fall'n. Sir, there she stands.
King Lear |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence: intensity which made the world for her either a nunnery garden
or a paradise, where sin and knowledge were not, or else an ugly,
cruel thing.
So it was in this atmosphere of subtle intimacy, this meeting
in their common feeling for something in Nature, that their love started.
Personally, he was a long time before he realized her.
For ten months he had to stay at home after his illness. For a
while he went to Skegness with his mother, and was perfectly happy.
But even from the seaside he wrote long letters to Mrs. Leivers
about the shore and the sea. And he brought back his beloved
sketches of the flat Lincoln coast, anxious for them to see.
Sons and Lovers |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Herbert West: Reanimator by H. P. Lovecraft: of colour came to cheeks hitherto chalk-white, and spread out
under the curiously ample stubble of sandy beard. West, who had
his hand on the pulse of the left wrist, suddenly nodded significantly;
and almost simultaneously a mist appeared on the mirror inclined
above the body’s mouth. There followed a few spasmodic muscular
motions, and then an audible breathing and visible motion of the
chest. I looked at the closed eyelids, and thought I detected
a quivering. Then the lids opened, shewing eyes which were grey,
calm, and alive, but still unintelligent and not even curious.
In a moment of fantastic whim I whispered questions to the reddening
ears; questions of other worlds of which the memory might still
Herbert West: Reanimator |
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 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: were speechless with laughter. the excitement had hardly subsided
when Hannah appeared, with "Mrs. March's compliments, and would the
ladies walk down to supper."
This was a surprise even to the actors, and when they saw the
table, they looked at one another in rapturous amazement. It was
like Marmee to get up a little treat for them, but anything so fine
as this was unheard of since the departed days of plenty. There was
ice cream, actually two dishes of it, pink and white, and cake and
fruit and distracting french bonbons and, in the middle of the
table, four great bouquets of hot house flowers.
It quite took their breath away, and they stared first at the
Little Women |
