| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The House of Dust by Conrad Aiken: Enchanted, silent, timeless. . . .days before me
Murmured of blue-sea mornings, noons of gold,
Green evenings streaked with lilac, bee-starred nights.
Confused soft clouds of music fled above me.
Sharp shafts of music dazzled my eyes and pierced me.
I ran and turned and spun and danced in the sunlight,
Shrank, sometimes, from the freezing silence of beauty,
Or crept once more to the warm white cave of sleep.
No, I shall not say 'this is why I praise you--
Because you say such wise things, or such foolish. . .'
You would not have me say what you know better?
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Lily of the Valley by Honore de Balzac: future, I could look for light and hope, what interest could hold me
to life, the air was stirred by a sudden noise. I turned to the
terrace and there saw Madeleine walking alone, with slow steps. During
the time it took me to ascend the terrace, intending to ask the dear
child the reason of the cold look she had given me when kneeling at
the foot of the cross, she had seated herself on the bench. When she
saw me approach her, she rose, pretending not to have seen me, and
returned towards the house in a significantly hasty manner. She hated
me; she fled from her mother's murderer.
When I reached the portico I saw Madeleine like a statue, motionless
and erect, evidently listening to the sound of my steps. Jacques was
The Lily of the Valley |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Mansion by Henry van Dyke: it.
But somehow or other, in this house, it all seems unreal to me.
No doubt all you say is perfectly right and wise. I don't
venture to
argue against it, but I can't feel it--that's all. If I'm to
have a soul,
either to lose or to save, I must really live. Just now neither
the
present nor the future means anything to me. But surely we won't
quarrel.
I'm very grateful to you, and we'll part friends. Good-night,
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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 The Rape of Lucrece by William Shakespeare: Will tie the hearers to attend each line,
How Tarquin wronged me, I Collatine.
'Let my good name, that senseless reputation,
For Collatine's dear love be kept unspotted:
If that be made a theme for disputation,
The branches of another root are rotted,
And undeserved reproach to him allotted,
That is as clear from this attaint of mine
As I, ere this, was pure to Collatine.
'O unseen shame! invisible disgrace!
O unfelt sore! crest-wounding, private scar!
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