| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from American Notes by Rudyard Kipling: made promises of amendment, till the tackle-man punted them in
their backs and they slid head down into a brick-floored passage,
very like a big kitchen sink, that was blood-red. There awaited
them a red man with a knife, which he passed jauntily through
their throats, and the full-voiced shriek became a splutter, and
then a fall as of heavy tropical rain, and the red man, who was
backed against the passage-wall, you will understand, stood clear
of the wildly kicking hoofs and passed his hand over his eyes,
not from any feeling of compassion, but because the spurted blood
was in his eyes, and he had barely time to stick the next
arrival. Then that first stuck swine dropped, still kicking,
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Child of Storm by H. Rider Haggard: Farewell, my Father. I go upon a journey to my own lordship, the land
of Gikazi, and there you will find me when you want me, which I pray may
not be till after this marriage is finished, for on that I will not
trust my eyes to look."
Then, with a salute, he turned and departed, bidding no good-bye to his
brother.
My hand, however, he shook in farewell, for Cetewayo was always friendly
to me, perhaps because he thought I might be useful to him. Also, as I
learned afterwards, he was very pleased with me for the reason that I
had refused my share of the Amakoba cattle, and that he knew I had no
part in this proposed marriage between Saduko and Nandie, of which,
Child of Storm |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: "But I hear a voice," she said; "it echoes through that wall,--a voice
that is more to me than all your riches."
Before the miser could stop her Marie had laid her hand on a small
colored engraving of Louis XV. on horseback; to her amazement it
turned, and she saw, in a room beneath her, the Marquis de Montauran,
who was loading a musket. The opening, hidden by a little panel on
which the picture was gummed, seemed to form some opening in the
ceiling of the adjoining chamber, which, no doubt, was the bedroom of
the royalist general. D'Orgemont closed the opening with much
precaution, and looked at the girl sternly.
"Don't say a word if you love your life. You haven't thrown your
The Chouans |
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 Hunting of the Snark by Lewis Carroll: Each working the grindstone in turn:
But the Beaver went on making lace, and displayed
No interest in the concern:
Though the Barrister tried to appeal to its pride,
And vainly proceeded to cite
A number of cases, in which making laces
Had been proved an infringement of right.
The maker of Bonnets ferociously planned
A novel arrangement of bows:
While the Billiard-marker with quivering hand
Was chalking the tip of his nose.
The Hunting of the Snark |
