| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: and leave the rest to the gods.'
Even so he spake, and the old woman passed forth from the
hall to bring water for his feet, for that first water was
all spilled. So when she had washed him and anointed him
well with olive-oil, Odysseus again drew up his settle
nearer to the fire to warm himself, and covered up the scar
with his rags. Then the wise Penelope spake first, saying:
'Stranger, there is yet a little thing I will make bold to
ask thee, for soon will it be the hour for pleasant rest,
for him on whomsoever sweet sleep falls, though he be heavy
with care. But to me has the god given sorrow, yea sorrow
The Odyssey |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from When the World Shook by H. Rider Haggard: familiar, "I wish to goodness that you had brought back an
evening paper with you."
A night or two later I was again suddenly awakened to feel that
Oro was approaching. He appeared like a ghost in the bright
moonlight, greeted me, and said:
"Tonight, Humphrey, we must make another journey. I would visit
the seat of the war."
"I do not wish to go," I said feebly.
"What you wish does not matter," he replied. "I wish that you
should go, and therefore you must."
"Listen, Oro," I exclaimed. "I do not like this business; it
When the World Shook |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Walking by Henry David Thoreau: what kind of degeneracy villagers are liable to. They are wayworn
by the travel that goes by and over them, without traveling
themselves.
Some do not walk at all; others walk in the highways; a few walk
across lots. Roads are made for horses and men of business. I do
not travel in them much, comparatively, because I am not in a
hurry to get to any tavern or grocery or livery-stable or depot
to which they lead. I am a good horse to travel, but not from
choice a roadster. The landscape-painter uses the figures of men
to mark a road. He would not make that use of my figure. I walk
out into a nature such as the old prophets and poets, Menu,
Walking |
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 Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart: it was the first real information we had had; my boy had not been
murdered outright. But instead of vague terrors there was now
the real fear that he might be lying in some strange hospital
receiving the casual attention commonly given to the charity
cases. Even this, had we known it, would have been paradise to
the terrible truth. I wake yet and feel myself cold and
trembling with the horror of Halsey's situation for three days
after his disappearance.
Mr. Winters and Alex disposed of the tramp with a warning. It
was evident he had told us all he knew. We had occasion, within
a day or two, to be doubly thankful that we had given him
The Circular Staircase |
