| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Phaedrus by Plato: he could persuade the 'birds' to hear him, retiring a little behind a
rampart, not of pots and dishes, but of unreadable books, he might have
something to say for himself. Might he not argue, 'that a rational being
should not follow the dictates of passion in the most important act of his
or her life'? Who would willingly enter into a contract at first sight,
almost without thought, against the advice and opinion of his friends, at a
time when he acknowledges that he is not in his right mind? And yet they
are praised by the authors of romances, who reject the warnings of their
friends or parents, rather than those who listen to them in such matters.
Two inexperienced persons, ignorant of the world and of one another, how
can they be said to choose?--they draw lots, whence also the saying,
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from My Aunt Margaret's Mirror by Walter Scott: which the worthy baronet was so much annoyed, that, contrary to
his wont, he took some trouble to soothe her apprehensions, and
once more brought her to shed tears, in which sorrow was not
altogether unmingled with pleasure. Lady Bothwell asked, as a
favour, Sir Philip's permission to receive her sister and her
family into her own house during his absence on the Continent.
Sir Philip readily assented to a proposition which saved expense,
silenced the foolish people who might have talked of a deserted
wife and family, and gratified Lady Bothwell, for whom he felt
some respect, as for one who often spoke to him, always with
freedom and sometimes with severity, without being deterred
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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 Call of Cthulhu by H. P. Lovecraft: various institutions. All denied a part in the ritual murders,
and averred that the killing had been done by Black Winged Ones
which had come to them from their immemorial meeting-place in
the haunted wood. But of those mysterious allies no coherent account
could ever be gained. What the police did extract, came mainly
from the immensely aged mestizo named Castro, who claimed to have
sailed to strange ports and talked with undying leaders of the
cult in the mountains of China.
Old Castro remembered bits of
hideous legend that paled the speculations of theosophists and
made man and the world seem recent and transient indeed. There
Call of Cthulhu |
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 Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne: courage, and began to consider in what way he might rid himself
of this terrible one-sandaled stranger.
"My good young man," said King Pelias, taking the softest tone
imaginable, in order to throw Jason off his guard, "you are
excessively welcome to my kingdom. Judging by your dress, you
must have traveled a long distance, for it is not the fashion
to wear leopard skins in this part of the world. Pray what may
I call your name? and where did you receive your education?"
"My name is Jason," answered the young stranger. "Ever since my
infancy, I have dwelt in the cave of Chiron the Centaur. He was
my instructor, and taught me music, and horsemanship, and how
Tanglewood Tales |
