| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Essays of Francis Bacon by Francis Bacon: ness, is imprinted deeply in the nature of man; in-
somuch, that if it issue not towards men, it will
take unto other living creatures; as it is seen in the
Turks, a cruel people, who nevertheless are kind
to beasts, and give alms, to dogs and birds; inso-
much, as Busbechius reporteth, a Christian boy, in
Constantinople, had like to have been stoned, for
gagging in a waggishness a long-billed fowl.
Errors indeed in this virtue of goodness, or charity,
may be committed. The Italians have an ungra-
cious proverb, Tanto buon che val niente: so
Essays of Francis Bacon |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Oscar Wilde Miscellaneous by Oscar Wilde: Music to cure its madness. Good Bianca,
Entreat our guest to play.
BIANCA. Be not afraid,
Our well-loved guest will choose his place and moment:
That moment is not now. You weary him
With your uncouth insistence.
GUIDO. Honest Simone,
Some other night. To-night I am content
With the low music of Bianca's voice,
Who, when she speaks, charms the too amorous air,
And makes the reeling earth stand still, or fix
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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 War and the Future by H. G. Wells: attack? Not against trenches; that is better done by infantrymen
following up gunfire. Can it be used against broken infantry in
the open? Not if the enemy has one or two machine guns covering
their retreat. Against expose infantry the swooping aeroplane
with a machine gun is far more deadly and more difficult to hit.
Behind it your infantry can follow to receive surrenders; in most
circumstances they can come up on cycles if it is a case of
getting up quickly across a wide space. Similarly for pursuit
the use of wire and use of the machine gun have abolished the
possibility of a pouring cavalry charge. The swooping aeroplane
does everything that cavalry can do in the way of disorganising
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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 Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar by Edgar Rice Burroughs: more safe from the sins and dangers of mortality?
"Achmet Zek is dead--you need not deny it. I was not
his mother, or his mistress, so do not fear that my
wailings shall disturb you. Tell me why you have come
back here. Tell me what you want, and, Werper, if you
still possess the jewels of which Achmet Zek told me,
there is no reason why you and I should not ride north
together and divide the ransom of the white woman and
the contents of the pouch you wear about your person. Eh?"
The evil eyes narrowed, a vicious, thin-lipped smile
tortured the villainous face, as Mohammed Beyd grinned
Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar |
