| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield: led him forward.
"Good afternoon, grandfather," said Cyril, trying to take his hand out of
Aunt Josephine's. Grandfather Pinner shot his eyes at Cyril in the way he
was famous for. Where was Auntie Con? She stood on the other side of Aunt
Josephine; her long arms hung down in front of her; her hands were clasped.
She never took her eyes off grandfather.
"Well," said Grandfather Pinner, beginning to thump, "what have you got to
tell me?"
What had he, what had he got to tell him? Cyril felt himself smiling like
a perfect imbecile. The room was stifling, too.
But Aunt Josephine came to his rescue. She cried brightly, "Cyril says his
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: Had he even lived thirty years later than he did, he might have
written frantic tragedies or filthy comedies for the edification of
James's profligate metropolis, and roistered it in taverns with
Marlowe, to die as Marlowe did, by a footman's sword in a drunken
brawl. But in those stern days such weak and hysterical spirits
had no fair vent for their "humors," save in being reconciled to
the Church of Rome, and plotting with Jesuits to assassinate the
queen, as Parry and Somerville, and many other madmen, did.
So, at least, some Jesuit or other seems to have thought, shortly
after Amyas had agreed to give the spendthrift a berth on board.
For one day Amyas, going down to Appledore about his business, was
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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 Sylvie and Bruno by Lewis Carroll: to see if I had anything to say: he evidently felt that some remark
ought to be made. And I couldn't help wishing there were some such
rule in Society, at the conclusion of a song--that the singer herself
should say the right thing, and not leave it to the audience. Suppose
a young lady has just been warbling ('with a grating and uncertain sound')
Shelley's exquisite lyric 'I arise from dreams of thee': how much nicer
it would be, instead of your having to say "Oh, thank you, thank you!"
for the young lady herself to remark, as she draws on her gloves,
while the impassioned words 'Oh, press it to thine own, or it will break
at last!' are still ringing in your ears, "--but she wouldn't do it,
you know. So it did break at last."
Sylvie and Bruno |
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 Passionate Pilgrim by William Shakespeare: I smiling credit her false-speaking tongue,
Outfacing faults in love with love's ill rest.
But wherefore says my love that she is young?
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
O, love's best habit is a soothing tongue,
And age, in love, loves not to have years told.
Therefore, I'll lie with love, and love with me,
Since that our faults in love thus smother'd be.
II.
Two loves I have, of comfort and despair,
That like two spirits do suggest me still;
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