| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Glaucus/The Wonders of the Shore by Charles Kingsley: sea-mats. This, which smells very like Verbena, is Flustra
coriacea (Pl. I. Fig. 2). That scurf on the frond of ore-weed is
F. lineata (Pl. Fig. 1). The glass bells twined about this
Sertularia are Campanularia syringa (Pl. I. Fig. 9); and here is a
tiny plant of Cellularia ciliata (Pl. I. Fig. 8). Look at it
through the field-glass; for it is truly wonderful. Each polype
cell is edged with whip-like spines, and on the back of some of
them is - what is it, but a live vulture's head, snapping and
snapping - what for?
Nay, reader, I am here to show you what can be seen: but as for
telling you what can be known, much more what cannot, I decline;
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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 Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin: part one meets hermit crabs of more than one species, [6]
carrying on their backs the shells which they have stolen
from the neighbouring beach. Overhead, numerous gannets,
frigate-birds, and terns, rest on the trees; and the wood, from
the many nests and from the smell of the atmosphere, might
be called a sea-rookery. The gannets, sitting on their rude
nests, gaze at one with a stupid yet angry air. The noddies,
as their name expresses, are silly little creatures. But there
is one charming bird: it is a small, snow-white tern, which
smoothly hovers at the distance of a few feet above one's
head, its large black eye scanning, with quiet curiosity, your
The Voyage of the Beagle |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Purse by Honore de Balzac: had ever seen, one of those heads which are often supposed to be
a freak of the brush, but which to him suddenly realized the
theories of the ideal beauty which every artist creates for
himself and whence his art proceeds. The features of the unknown
belonged, so to say, to the refined and delicate type of
Prudhon's school, but had also the poetic sentiment which Girodet
gave to the inventions of his phantasy. The freshness of the
temples, the regular arch of the eyebrows, the purity of outline,
the virginal innocence so plainly stamped on every feature of her
countenance, made the girl a perfect creature. Her figure was
slight and graceful, and frail in form. Her dress, though simple
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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 Child of Storm by H. Rider Haggard: 'Eater-up-of-Elephants' and father of Mameena, whom the dead dog,
Umbelazi, took away from your master, Saduko the Cunning?"
"This, O Mighty One; this, O Shaker of the Earth, that well am I named
'Eater-up-of-Elephants,' who have eaten up Indhlovu-ene-Sihlonti--the
Elephant himself."
Now Saduko seemed to awake from his brooding and started from his place;
but Cetewayo sharply bade him be silent, whereon Umbezi, the fool,
noting nothing, continued his tale.
"O Prince, I met Umbelazi in the battle, and when he saw me he fled from
me; yes, his heart grew soft as water at the sight of me, the warrior
whom he had wronged, whose daughter he had stolen."
Child of Storm |
