| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre: Lens and microscope can now play their part.
The sight is perfectly astounding. Those threads, on the
borderland between the visible and the invisible, are very closely
twisted twine, similar to the gold cord of our officers' sword-
knots. Moreover, they are hollow. The infinitely slender is a
tube, a channel full of a viscous moisture resembling a strong
solution of gum arabic. I can see a diaphanous trail of this
moisture trickling through the broken ends. Under the pressure of
the thin glass slide that covers them on the stage of the
microscope, the twists lengthen out, become crinkled ribbons,
traversed from end to end, through the middle, by a dark streak,
The Life of the Spider |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Ebb-Tide by Stevenson & Osbourne: lush, and talk it over among pals. We've some prime fizz,' he
said, and winked.
The presence of the gentleman lighted up like a candle the
vulgarity of the clerk; and Herrick instinctively, as one shields
himself from pain, made haste to interrupt.
'My name is Hay,' said he, 'since introductions are going. We
shall be very glad if you will step inside.'
Attwater leaned to him swiftly. 'University man?' said he.
'Yes, Merton,' said Herrick, and the next moment blushed
scarlet at his indiscretion.
'I am of the other lot,' said Attwater: 'Trinity Hall, Cambridge.
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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 Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) by Dante Alighieri: Old rumour in the world proclaims them blind;
A people avaricious, envious, proud;
Take heed that of their customs thou do cleanse thee.
Thy fortune so much honour doth reserve thee,
One party and the other shall be hungry
For thee; but far from goat shall be the grass.
Their litter let the beasts of Fesole
Make of themselves, nor let them touch the plant,
If any still upon their dunghill rise,
In which may yet revive the consecrated
Seed of those Romans, who remained there when
The Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) |
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 Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: allow me to go to a possible death without having given me
at least something more than hope?"
Milady answered by a glance which said, "Is that all?--speak,
then." And then accompanying the glance with explanatory
words, "That is but too just," said she, tenderly.
"Oh, you are an angel!" exclaimed the young man.
"Then all is agreed?" said she.
"Except that which I ask of you, dear love."
"But when I assure you that you may rely on my tenderness?"
"I cannot wait till tomorrow."
"Silence! I hear my brother. It will be useless for him to
The Three Musketeers |
