| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Soul of a Bishop by H. G. Wells: "And why did you not come here before?"
"Doubt and fear. Brother, will you not lay your hand on mine?"
The figure in the darkness became distincter. But nothing
touched the bishop's seeking hands.
"I want to see God and to understand him. I want reassurance. I
want conviction. I want to understand all that God asks me to do.
The world is full of conflict and confusion and the spirit of
war. It is dark and dreadful now with suffering and bloodshed. I
want to serve God who could save it, and I do not know how."
It seemed to the bishop that now he could distinguish dimly but
surely the form and features of the great Angel to whom he
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: this freedom, endeavoured to shake Allan from him with violence;
but, powerful as he was, he proved in the struggle inferior to
the gigantic mountaineer, who threw him off with such violence,
that after reeling a few paces, he fell at full length, and the
vaulted hall rang with the clash of his armour. When he arose,
his first action was to draw his sword and to fly at Allan, who,
with folded arms, seemed to await his onset with the most
scornful indifference. Lord Menteith and his attendants
interposed to preserve peace, while the Highlanders, snatching
weapons from the wall, seemed prompt to increase the broil.
"He is mad," whispered Lord Menteith, "he is perfectly mad; there
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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 Salome by Oscar Wilde: voulu me laisser baiser ta bouche, Iokanaan. Eh bien! je la
baiserai maintenant. Je la mordrai avec mes dents comme on mord un
fruit mur. Oui, je baiserai ta bouche, Iokanaan. Je te l'ai dit,
n'est-ce pas? je te l'ai dit. Eh bien! je la baiserai maintenant .
. . Mais pourquoi ne me regardes-tu pas, Iokanaan? Tes yeux qui
etaient si terribles, qui etaient si pleins de colere et de mepris,
ils sont fermes maintenant. Pourquoi sont-ils fermes? Ouvre tes
yeux! Souleve tes paupieres, Iokanaan. Pourquoi ne me regardes-tu
pas? As-tu peur de moi, Iokanaan, que tu ne veux pas me regarder? .
. . Et ta langue qui etait comme un serpent rouge dardant des
poisons, elle ne remue plus, elle ne dit rien maintenant, Iokanaan,
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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 Salome by Oscar Wilde: jettent leur vin sur les dalles, et des Grecs de Smyrne avec leurs
yeux peints et leurs joues fardees, et leurs cheveux frises en
spirales, et des Egyptiens, silencieux, subtils, avec leurs ongles
de jade et leurs manteaux bruns, et des Romains avec leur brutalite,
leur lourdeur, leurs gros mots. Ah! que je deteste les Romains! Ce
sont des gens communs, et ils se donnent des airs de grands
seigneurs.
LE JEUNE SYRIEN. Ne voulez-vous pas vous asseoir, princesse?
LE PAGE D'HERODIAS. Pourquoi lui parler? Pourquoi la regarder? . .
. Oh! il va arriver un malheur.
SALOME. Que c'est bon de voir la lune! Elle ressemble e une petite
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