| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Dead Souls by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol: pretence of forwarding him sundry garments necessary for the night. In
the result Chichikov received not only his papers, but also some warm
clothing for his hypersensitive limbs. Such a swift recovery of his
treasures delighted him beyond expression, and, gathering new hope, he
began once more to dream of such allurements as theatre-going and the
ballet girl after whom he had for some time past been dangling.
Gradually did the country estate and the simple life begin to recede
into the distance: gradually did the town house and the life of gaiety
begin to loom larger and larger in the foreground. Oh, life, life!
Meanwhile in Government offices and chancellories there had been set
on foot a boundless volume of work. Clerical pens slaved, and brains
Dead Souls |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence: cock. Pay money, money, money to them that will take spunk out of
mankind, and leave 'em all little twiddling machines.'
He sat there in the hut, his face pulled to mocking irony. Yet even
then, he had one ear set backwards, listening to the storm over the
wood. It made him feel so alone.
'But won't it ever come to an end?' she said.
'Ay, it will. It'll achieve its own salvation. When the last real man
is killed, and they're ALL tame: white, black, yellow, all colours of
tame ones: then they'll ALL be insane. Because the root of sanity is in
the balls. Then they'll all be INSANE, and they'll make their grand
~auto da fe. You know AUTO DA FE means act of faith? Ay, well, they'll
Lady Chatterley's Lover |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling: lives, which is not long.
Akela raised his old head wearily:--
"Free People, and ye too, jackals of Shere Khan, for twelve
seasons I have led ye to and from the kill, and in all that time
not one has been trapped or maimed. Now I have missed my kill.
Ye know how that plot was made. Ye know how ye brought me up to
an untried buck to make my weakness known. It was cleverly done.
Your right is to kill me here on the Council Rock, now.
Therefore, I ask, who comes to make an end of the Lone Wolf? For
it is my right, by the Law of the Jungle, that ye come one by
one."
The Jungle Book |
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 The Mirror of the Sea by Joseph Conrad: Catalonian, the Italian of Corsica and the French of Provence with
the same easy naturalness. Dressed in shore-togs, a white starched
shirt, black jacket, and round hat, as I took him once to see Dona
Rita, he was extremely presentable. He could make himself
interesting by a tactful and rugged reserve set off by a grim,
almost imperceptible, playfulness of tone and manner.
He had the physical assurance of strong-hearted men. After half an
hour's interview in the dining-room, during which they got in touch
with each other in an amazing way, Rita told us in her best GRANDE
DAME manner: "MAIS IL ESI PARFAIT, CET HOMME." He was perfect.
On board the Tremolino, wrapped up in a black CABAN, the
The Mirror of the Sea |
