| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Salome by Oscar Wilde: porte sur l'ivoire de ses seins. Toi, quand tu le porteras, tu
seras aussi belle qu'une reine. J'ai des amethystes de deux
especes. Une qui est noire comme le vin. L'autre qui est rouge
comme du vin qu'on a colore avec de l'eau. J'ai des topazes jaunes
comme les yeux des tigres, et des topazes roses comme les yeux des
pigeons, et des topazes vertes comme les yeux des chats. J'ai des
opales qui brulent toujours avec une flamme qui est tres froide, des
opales qui attristent les esprits et ont peur des tenebres. J'ai
des onyx semblables aux prunelles d'une morte. J'ai des selenites
qui changent quand la lune change et deviennent pales quand elles
voient le soleil. J'ai des saphirs grands comme des oeufs et bleus
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from 1492 by Mary Johntson: wonders. I lived obscure, but in Prior's room, by a light
fire, for it was November, he himself endlessly questioned
and listened.
Ocean before me, ocean, ocean! Lying here, those years
ago, I had seen ocean only. Now, far, far, I saw land, saw
San Salvador, Cuba that might be the main, Hayti, Jamaica,
San Juan, Guadaloupe, Trinidad, Paria that again seemed
main. Vast islands and a world of small islands, vast mainlands.
Then no sail was seen on far Ocean-Sea; now out
there might be ships going from Cadiz, coming, returning
from San Domingo. Eight years, and so the world was
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Frances Waldeaux by Rebecca Davis: "We are going! Mrs. Waldeaux cried, waving her hand.
"Won't you look at Clara and Lucy, George? They have been
so good to us. If Lucy had been my own child, she could
not have been kinder to me."
Mr. Waldeaux turned and raised his crepe-bound hat,
looking at Lucy in her soft gray gown vaguely, as he
might at a white gull dropped on the shore.
"I suppose I never shall see her again," said his mother.
"Clara tells me she is besieged by lovers. She is
going to marry a German prince, probably."
"That would be a pity," George said, with a startled
|
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 A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde: weren't they? You women live by your emotions and for them. You
have no philosophy of life.
MRS. ARBUTHNOT. You are right. We women live by our emotions and
for them. By our passions, and for them, if you will. I have two
passions, Lord Illingworth: my love of him, my hate of you. You
cannot kill those. They feed each other.
LORD ILLINGWORTH. What sort of love is that which needs to have
hate as its brother?
MRS. ARBUTHNOT. It is the sort of love I have for Gerald. Do you
think that terrible? Well it is terrible. All love is terrible.
All love is a tragedy. I loved you once, Lord Illingworth. Oh,
|
