| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from New Poems by Robert Louis Stevenson: From where the dogs of Scotland call the sheep around the fold,
To where the flags are flying beside the Gates of Gold.
Where all the deep-sea galleons ride that come to bring the corn,
Where falls the fog at eventide and blows the breeze at morn;
It's there that I was sick and sad, alone and poor and cold,
In yon distressful city beside the Gates of Gold.
I slept as one that nothing knows; but far along my way,
Before the morning God rose and planned the coming day;
Afar before me forth he went, as through the sands of old,
And chose the friends to help me beside the Gates of Gold.
I have been near, I have been far, my back's been at the wall,
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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 Brother of Daphne by Dornford Yates: more. The current is very strong sometimes. But here there is
no current, nor any time, nor action. Only the sun makes shining
patches on the water, while now and again dragon-flies dart
through the sleepy hum of insect life, like bright thoughts
flashing across a reverie. Now, isn't that nice? I really don't
know how I do it. But to resume. No one knew of our turning
aside- no one will see us return. For us the universe is
standing still. And there's the tea. Come, madam wife, sit by
my side, and let the world slip; we shall ne'er be younger."
She looked at me critically, bending her brows. Then:
"I should never have married you," she said, "if I had known
The Brother of Daphne |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Miracle Mongers and Their Methods by Harry Houdini: act had been the talk of the town, thus brought
himself into instant notice, the beginning of a
career in which he rose to the top of his
profession. After several successful years on the
stage, Sandow settled down in London, where
I last heard of him as conducting a school of
instruction in health and strength methods.
In the tradition of the ``Female Sampsons''
noted in Chapter Eleven, I recall two strong-
women who were notably good; Yucca, who
lifted a horse by means of a harness over the
Miracle Mongers and Their Methods |
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 Foolish Virgin by Thomas Dixon: He mopped his brow and looked at his watch.
"By the time we get to that preacher's house, I
won't know my first name if you don't help me."
Mary laughed softly and kissed him.
"You can't miss it. All you've got to do is say,
`I will' when he asks you the question, put the ring on
my finger when he tells you, and repeat the words after
him--he and I will do the rest."
"Say my question over again."
"`Wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to
live together after God's ordinance, in the holy estate
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