| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Charmides and Other Poems by Oscar Wilde: Nay, nay, we are but crucified, and though
The bloody sweat falls from our brows like rain
Loosen the nails - we shall come down I know,
Staunch the red wounds - we shall be whole again,
No need have we of hyssop-laden rod,
That which is purely human, that is godlike, that is God.
LOUIS NAPOLEON
Eagle of Austerlitz! where were thy wings
When far away upon a barbarous strand,
In fight unequal, by an obscure hand,
Fell the last scion of thy brood of Kings!
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Records of a Family of Engineers by Robert Louis Stevenson: ship struck, and many of the crew and passengers were drowned.
About the same hour, my grandfather was in his office at the
writing-table; and the room beginning to darken, he laid down
his pen and fell asleep. In a dream he saw the door open and
George Peebles come in, `reeling to and fro, and staggering
like a drunken man,' with water streaming from his head and
body to the floor. There it gathered into a wave which,
sweeping forward, submerged my grandfather. Well, no matter
how deep; versions vary; and at last he awoke, and behold it
was a dream! But it may be conceived how profoundly the
impression was written even on the mind of a man averse from
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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 The Hated Son by Honore de Balzac: telling stories, such as all children love, to his daughter; the
impressions she received were too vivid. Wise through long practice,
he endeavored to develop her body in order to deaden the blows which a
soul so powerful gave to it. Gabrielle was all of life and love to her
father, his only heir, and never had he hesitated to procure for her
such things as might produce the results he aimed for. He carefully
removed from her knowledge books, pictures, music, all those creations
of art which awaken thought. Aided by his mother he interested
Gabrielle in manual exercises. Tapestry, sewing, lace-making, the
culture of flowers, household cares, the storage of fruits, in short,
the most material occupations of life, were the food given to the mind
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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 Pellucidar by Edgar Rice Burroughs: from our line of march, closing in again upon their feasts
when we had passed.
We made our way steadily down the rim of the beau-
tiful river which flows the length of the island, coming
at last to a wood rather denser than any that I had be-
fore encountered in this country. Well within this forest
my escort halted.
"There!" they said, and pointed ahead. "We are to go
no farther."
Thus having guided me to my destination they left
me. Ahead of me, through the trees, I could see what
Pellucidar |
