| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas: "Well?"
"Oh, Rosa, whenever it opens, remember that not a moment
must be lost in apprising the President."
"And in apprising you. Yes, I understand."
Rosa sighed, yet without any bitter feeling, but rather like
a woman who begins to understand a foible, and to accustom
herself to it.
"I return to your tulip, Mynheer van Baerle, and as soon as
it opens I will give you news, which being done the
messenger will set out immediately."
"Rosa, Rosa, I don't know to what wonder under the sun I
The Black Tulip |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Works of Samuel Johnson by Samuel Johnson: I am, &c.
CAPTATOR.
No. 199. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1752
Decolor, obscurus, vilis. Non ille repexam
Caesariem Regum, nec candida virginis ornat
Colla, nec insigni splendet per cingula morsu.
Sed nova si nigri videas miracula saxi,
Tum pulcros superat cultus, et quidquid Eois
Indus litoribus rubra scrutatur in alga.
CLAUDIANUS, xlviii. 10.
Obscure, upris'd, and dark, the magnet lies,
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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 The Great Big Treasury of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter: seemed dissatisfied--"You'll likely
be moving on again?" said he to
Pigling Bland.
Before Pigling could reply, a
neighbor, who was giving Mr. Piperson
and the hens a lift, whistled
from the gate. Mr. Piperson hurried
out with the hamper, enjoining
Pigling to shut the door behind him
and not meddle with nought; or
"I'll come back and skin ye!" said
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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 The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre: amid endless comings and goings. The tiny legs open out from time
to time and straddle as though to reach the most distant points. I
begin to realize that they are acrobats aiming at loftier heights
than those of the dome.
I top the trellis with a branch that doubles the attainable height.
The bustling crowd hastily scrambles up it, reaches the tip of the
topmost twigs and thence sends out threads that attach themselves
to every surrounding object. These form so many suspension-
bridges; and my beasties nimbly run along them, incessantly passing
to and fro. One would say that they wished to climb higher still.
I will endeavour to satisfy their desires.
The Life of the Spider |
