| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Records of a Family of Engineers by Robert Louis Stevenson: words by any of the parties appears irrecoverable. Chief
engineer should have full authority, full responsibility, and
a proper share of the emoluments; and there were none of these
for Rennie. I find in an appendix a paper which resumes the
controversy on this subject; and it will be enough to say here
that Rennie did not design the Bell Rock, that he did not
execute it, and that he was not paid for it. (1) From so much
of the correspondence as has come down to me, the acquaintance
of this man, eleven years his senior, and already famous,
appears to have been both useful and agreeable to Robert
Stevenson. It is amusing to find my grandfather seeking high
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley: stories told) was one of the mouths of the Nether Pit. But what
of that? It had never harmed any one, and how could it harm them?
So they all lived on, merrily and happily enough, till, in the
year A.D. 79 (that was eight years, you know, after the Emperor
Titus destroyed Jerusalem), there was stationed in the Bay of
Naples a Roman admiral, called Pliny, who was also a very studious
and learned man, and author of a famous old book on natural
history. He was staying on shore with his sister; and as he sat
in his study she called him out to see a strange cloud which had
been hanging for some time over the top of Mount Vesuvius. It was
in shape just like a pine-tree; not, of course, like one of our
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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 Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli: he knew so well how men are to be won or lost, and so firm were the
foundations which in so short a time he had laid, that if he had not
had those armies on his back, or if he had been in good health, he
would have overcome all difficulties. And it is seen that his
foundations were good, for the Romagna awaited him for more than a
month. In Rome, although but half alive, he remained secure; and
whilst the Baglioni, the Vitelli, and the Orsini might come to Rome,
they could not effect anything against him. If he could not have made
Pope him whom he wished, at least the one whom he did not wish would
not have been elected. But if he had been in sound health at the death
of Alexander,[*] everything would have been different to him. On the
The Prince |
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 Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy: replied. "And I can say it here."
"No, no. Please do come in. Well, then, if you will not come
into the house, come as far as the porch."
Thus pressed she went on to the porch, and they stood together
inside it, Fitzpiers closing her umbrella for her.
"I have merely a request or petition to make," she said. "My
father's servant is ill--a woman you know--and her illness is
serious."
"I am sorry to hear it. You wish me to come and see her at once?"
"No; I particularly wish you not to come."
"Oh, indeed."
The Woodlanders |
