| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner: "Didn't he tell you his name?"
"Yes--Bonaparte Blenkins."
"Bonaparte!" said Em, "why that is like the reel Hottentot Hans plays on
the violin--
'Bonaparte, Bonaparte, my wife is sick;
In the middle of the week, but Sundays not,
I give her rice and beans for soup'--
It is a funny name."
"There was a living man called Bonaparte once," said she of the great eyes.
"Ah yes, I know," said Em--"the poor prophet whom the lions ate. I am
always so sorry for him."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Herland by Charlotte Gilman: often felt, at him--though impeccably polite; her innocent questions,
which almost invariably led him to say more than he intended--Jeff
and I found it all amusing to watch.
He never seemed to recognize that quiet background of superiority.
When she dropped an argument he always thought he had silenced her;
when she laughed he thought it tribute to his wit.
I hated to admit to myself how much Terry had sunk in my esteem.
Jeff felt it too, I am sure; but neither of us admitted it to the other.
At home we had measured him with other men, and, though we knew his failings,
he was by no means an unusual type. We knew his virtues too, and they had
always seemed more prominent than the faults. Measured among women--our
Herland |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Venus and Adonis by William Shakespeare: My day's delight is past, my horse is gone, 380
And 'tis your fault I am bereft him so:
I pray you hence, and leave me here alone:
For all my mind, my thought, my busy care,
Is how to get my palfrey from the mare.' 384
Thus she replies: 'Thy palfrey, as he should,
Welcomes the warm approach of sweet desire:
Affection is a coal that must be cool'd;
Else, suffer'd, it will set the heart on fire: 388
The sea hath bounds, but deep desire hath none;
Therefore no marvel though thy horse be gone.
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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 Camille by Alexandre Dumas: hollows of the cheeks; and yet I recognised in this face the
joyous white and rose face that I had seen so often.
Armand, unable to turn away his eyes, had put the handkerchief to
his mouth and bit it.
For my part, it was as if a circle of iron tightened about my
head, a veil covered my eyes, a rumbling filled my ears, and all
I could do was to unstop a smelling bottle which I happened to
have with me, and to draw in long breaths of it.
Through this bewilderment I heard the inspector say to Duval, "Do
you identify?"
"Yes," replied the young man in a dull voice.
Camille |
