| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Sportsman by Xenophon: Then with prayer and promise to Apollo and to Artemis, our Lady of the
Chase,[20] to share with them the produce of spoil, he lets slip a
single hound, the cunningest at scenting of the pack. [If it be
winter, the hour will be sunrise, or if summer, before day-dawn, and
in the other seasons at some hour midway.] As soon as the hound has
unravelled the true line[21] he will let slip another; and then, if
these carry on the line, at rapid intervals he will slip the others
one by one; and himself follow, without too great hurry,[22]
addressing each of the dogs by name every now and then, but not too
frequently, for fear of over-exciting them before the proper moment.
[17] {emelemenen} = neglige, plain, unpretentious.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from On Horsemanship by Xenophon: own accord exhibit his finest airs and paces at set signals.[6]
Supposing, when he is in the riding-field,[7] you push him to a gallop
until he is bathed in sweat, and when he begins to prance and show his
airs to fine effect, you promptly dismount and take off the bit, you
may rely upon it he will of his own accord another time break into the
same prancing action. Such are the horses on which gods and heroes
ride, as represented by the artist. The majesty of men themselves is
best discovered in the graceful handling of such animals.[8] A horse
so prancing is indeed a thing of beauty, a wonder and a marvel;
riveting the gaze of all who see him, young alike and graybeards. They
will never turn their backs, I venture to predict, or weary of their
On Horsemanship |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: If this woman had known my real circumstances, she would
never have laid so many snares, and taken so many weary steps
to catch a poor desolate creature that was good for little when
it was caught; and indeed I, whose case was almost desperate,
and thought I could not be much worse, was not very anxious
about what might befall me, provided they did me no personal
injury; so I suffered myself, though not without a great deal
of invitation and great professions of sincere friendship and
real kindness--I say, I suffered myself to be prevailed upon to
go with her, and accordingly I packed up my baggage, and put
myself in a posture for a journey, though I did not absolutely
Moll Flanders |
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 Shadow Line by Joseph Conrad: dence. It was rushing us on. . . .
I shall never forget the last night, dark, windy,
and starry. I steered. Mr. Burns, after having
obtained from me a solemn promise to give him a
kick if anything happened, went frankly to sleep on
the deck close to the binnacle. Convalescents
need sleep. Ransome, his back propped against
the mizzen-mast and a blanket over his legs, re-
mained perfectly still, but I don't suppose he
closed his eyes for a moment. That embodiment
of jauntiness, Frenchy, still under the delusion that
The Shadow Line |
