| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Lover's Complaint by William Shakespeare: For these, of force, must your oblations be,
Since I their altar, you enpatron me.
'O then advance of yours that phraseless hand,
Whose white weighs down the airy scale of praise;
Take all these similes to your own command,
Hallow'd with sighs that burning lungs did raise;
What me your minister, for you obeys,
Works under you; and to your audit comes
Their distract parcels in combined sums.
'Lo! this device was sent me from a nun,
Or sister sanctified of holiest note;
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Thuvia, Maid of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: When they had come to the plaza's edge Carthoris halted.
"Wait here," he whispered. "I go to fetch thoats,
since on foot we may never hope to escape the clutches
of these green fiends."
To reach the courtyard where the thoats were kept
it was necessary for Carthoris to pass through one of
the buildings which surrounded the square. Which were
occupied and which not he could not even guess, so he
was compelled to take considerable chances to gain the
enclosure in which he could hear the restless beasts
squealing and quarrelling among themselves.
Thuvia, Maid of Mars |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Cavalry General by Xenophon: protection during rest and sleep.
When on active service[1] the commander must prove himself
conspicuously careful in the matter of forage, quarters, water-supply,
outposts,[2] and all other requisites; forecasting the future and
keeping ever a wakeful eye in the interest of those under him; and in
case of any advantage won, the truest gain which the head of affairs
can reap is to share with his men the profits of success.
[1] Al. "on garrison outpost duty."
[2] Reading {phulakon}, or if with Courier {thulakon}, "haversacks,"
i.e. "la farine, le contenant pour le contenu."
Indeed, to put the matter in a nutshell, there is small risk a general
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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 Ivanhoe by Walter Scott: and I see a weapon there'' (here be stooped
and took out the harp) ``on which I would more
gladly prove my skill with thee, than at the sword
and buckler.''
``I hope, Sir Knight,'' said the hermit, ``thou
hast given no good reason for thy surname of the
Sluggard. I do promise thee I suspect thee grievously.
Nevertheless, thou art my guest, and I will
not put thy manhood to the proof without thine
own free will. Sit thee down, then, and fill thy
cup; let us drink, sing, and be merry. If thou
Ivanhoe |
