| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from 'Twixt Land & Sea by Joseph Conrad: the second mate barefooted, the chief mate in long india-rubber
boots, near the break of the poop, and the steward half-way down
the poop-ladder talking to them eagerly. He happened to catch
sight of me and dived, the second ran down on the main-deck
shouting some order or other, and the chief mate came to meet me,
touching his cap.
There was a sort of curiosity in his eye that I did not like. I
don't know whether the steward had told them that I was "queer"
only, or downright drunk, but I know the man meant to have a good
look at me. I watched him coming with a smile which, as he got
into point-blank range, took effect and froze his very whiskers. I
'Twixt Land & Sea |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre: the door, solidly fixed in its frame, holds good; as soon as the
little ones swarm and want to get out, it opens of itself.
Come June and July, beloved of the Cicadae, no less beloved of the
young Spiders who are anxious to be off. It were difficult indeed
for them to work their way through the thick shell of the balloon.
For the second time, a spontaneous dehiscence seems called for.
Where will it be effected?
The idea occurs off-hand that it will take place along the edges of
the top cover. Remember the details given in an earlier chapter.
The neck of the balloon ends in a wide crater, which is closed by a
ceiling dug out cup-wise. The material is as stout in this part as
The Life of the Spider |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Pupil by Henry James: how they contrived to reconcile the appearance, and indeed the
essential fact, of adoring the child with their eagerness to wash
their hands of him. Did they want to get rid of him before he
should find them out? Pemberton was finding them out month by
month. The boy's fond family, however this might be, turned their
backs with exaggerated delicacy, as if to avoid the reproach of
interfering. Seeing in time how little he had in common with them
- it was by THEM he first observed it; they proclaimed it with
complete humility - his companion was moved to speculate on the
mysteries of transmission, the far jumps of heredity. Where his
detachment from most of the things they represented had come from
|
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 Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum: at all -- yet they supported the two girls above the
surface of the billows and floated with them so swiftly
to the green hillside opposite that the girls were
astonished to find themselves set upon the grass before
they realized they had fairly started.
"Thank you!" said Ozma gratefully, and Dorothy also
added her thanks for the service.
The Mist Maids made no answer, but they smiled and
waved their hands in good-bye as again they floated out
into the mist and disappeared from view.
Chapter Four
Glinda of Oz |
