| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: what...has happened, can we live together? Is that possible?
Tell me, eh, is it possible?" she repeated, raising her voice,
"after my husband, the father of my children, enters into a
love-affair with his own children's governess?"
"But what could I do? what could I do?" he kept saying in a
pitiful voice, not knowing what he was saying, as his head sank
lower and lower.
"You are loathsome to me, repulsive!" she shrieked, getting more
and more heated. "Your tears mean nothing! You have never loved
me; you have neither heart nor honorable feeling! You are
hateful to me, disgusting, a stranger--yes, a complete stranger!"
Anna Karenina |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Pagan and Christian Creeds by Edward Carpenter: [3] "I am the TRUE Vine," says the Jesus of the fourth gospel,
perhaps with an implicit and hostile reference to the cult of
Dionysus--in which Robertson suggests (Christianity and
Mythology, p. 357) there was a ritual miracle of turning water
into wine.
Oxen, goats, even fawns and roes from the forest were killed,
torn to pieces, and eaten raw. This in imitation of the
treatment of Dionysus by the Titans"[1]--who it was supposed
had torn the god in pieces when a child.
[1] See art. Dionysus. Dictionary of Classical Antiquities,
Nettleship and Sandys 3rd edn., London, 1898).
Pagan and Christian Creeds |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: interrupting him, - and ought to be enough for me. - So, supper
coming in, and having a frisky English spaniel on one side of my
chair, and a French valet, with as much hilarity in his countenance
as ever Nature painted in one, on the other, - I was satisfied to
my heart's content with my empire; and if monarchs knew what they
would be at, they might be as satisfied as I was.
MONTREUIL.
AS La Fleur went the whole tour of France and Italy with me, and
will be often upon the stage, I must interest the reader a little
further in his behalf, by saying, that I had never less reason to
repent of the impulses which generally do determine me, than in
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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 A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: voice. Menteith and Angus M'Aulay were not surprised at this,
for there prevailed among the Highlanders who pretended to the
second-sight, a sort of Freemasonry, which generally induced
them, upon meeting, to hold communication with each other on the
nature and extent of their visionary experiences.
"Does the sight come gloomy upon your spirits?" said Allan to
his new acquaintance.
"As dark as the shadow upon the moon," replied Ranald, "when she
is darkened in her mid-course in heaven, and prophets foretell of
evil times."
"Come hither," said Allan, "come more this way, I would converse
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