| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Thus Spake Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche: Now have ye slept your fill; for how long a time? A half-eternity! Well
then, up now, mine old heart! For how long after such a sleep mayest thou
--remain awake?"
(But then did he fall asleep anew, and his soul spake against him and
defended itself, and lay down again)--"Leave me alone! Hush! Hath not the
world just now become perfect? Oh, for the golden round ball!--
"Get up," said Zarathustra, "thou little thief, thou sluggard! What!
Still stretching thyself, yawning, sighing, failing into deep wells?
Who art thou then, O my soul!" (and here he became frightened, for a
sunbeam shot down from heaven upon his face.)
"O heaven above me," said he sighing, and sat upright, "thou gazest at me?
Thus Spake Zarathustra |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Sportsman by Xenophon: Castor and Polydeuces,[35] by reason of their glorious display of arts
obtained from Cheiron, and for the high honour and prestige therefrom
derived, are now immortal.
[35] Castor, Polydeuces, s. Pollux--the great twin brethren. See
Grote, "H. G." i. 232 foll.
Machaon and Podaleirius[36] were trained in this same lore, and proved
themselves adepts in works of skill, in argument and feats of
arms.[37]
[36] As to the two sons of Asclepius, Machaon and Podaleirius, the
leaders of the Achaeans, see "Il." ii. 728; Schol. ad Pind.
"Pyth." iii. 14; Paus. iii. 26; iv. 3; Strab. vi. 4 (284); Diod.
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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 Flame and Shadow by Sara Teasdale: The first time to me,
And my first look in your eyes
Was like my first look at the sea.
We have been together
Four Aprils now
Watching for the green
On the swaying willow bough;
Yet whenever I turn
To your gray eyes over me,
It is as though I looked
For the first time at the sea.
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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 Amy Foster by Joseph Conrad: black wire goggles, got up on his shaky legs to
look where she pointed. Together they followed
with their eyes the figure of the man running over
a field; they saw him fall down, pick himself up,
and run on again, staggering and waving his long
arms above his head, in the direction of the New
Barns Farm. From that moment he is plainly in
the toils of his obscure and touching destiny.
There is no doubt after this of what happened to
him. All is certain now: Mrs. Smith's intense ter-
ror; Amy Foster's stolid conviction held against
Amy Foster |
