| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Bride of Lammermoor by Walter Scott: minutes sooner! and yet it must have been ended some time, and
perhaps this way is as well as any other."
As he spoke, the boy he mentioned came up, cudgelling an ass, on
which he was mounted, to the top of its speed, and sending, like
one of Ossian's heroes, his voice before him: "Gentlemen--
gentlemen, save yourselves! for the gudewife bade us tell ye
there were folk in her house had taen Captain
Craigengelt, and were seeking for Bucklaw, and that ye behoved to
ride for it."
"By my faith, and that's very true, my man" said Bucklaw; "and
there's a silver sixpence for your news, and I would give any man
The Bride of Lammermoor |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Poor and Proud by Oliver Optic: and proud. She would make me take it, and said so much, that, at
last, I told her if she would lend it to me, I would take it."
"It was the same as a gift," said Mrs. Redburn, blushing with
shame at the thought of accepting alms.
"No, it wasn't; she may think it was, but I mean to pay her, and
I shall pay her; I know I shall."
"If you can," sighed the proud mother.
"I shall be able to pay her soon, for I mean to sell lots of
candy."
"You may be disappointed."
"No: I am sure I shall sell a good deal; I mean to make people
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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 Essays & Lectures by Oscar Wilde: talk of the Italian school of painting, but there is no Italian
school; there were the schools of each city. Every town in Italy,
from Venice itself, queen of the sea, to the little hill fortress
of Perugia, each had its own school of art, each different and all
beautiful.
So do not mind what art Philadelphia or New York is having, but
make by the hands of your own citizens beautiful art for the joy of
your own citizens, for you have here the primary elements of a
great artistic movement.
For, believe me, the conditions of art are much simpler than people
imagine. For the noblest art one requires a clear healthy
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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 Tao Teh King by Lao-tze: profit of a state should not be shown to the people.
37. 1. The Tao in its regular course does nothing (for the sake of
doing it), and so there is nothing which it does not do.
2. If princes and kings were able to maintain it, all things would of
themselves be transformed by them.
3. If this transformation became to me an object of desire, I would
express the desire by the nameless simplicity.
Simplicity without a name
Is free from all external aim.
With no desire, at rest and still,
All things go right as of their will.
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