| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Ivanhoe by Walter Scott: ``What is the matter?'' said he eagerly; ``what
mean these cries, and that clashing of swords?''
``Only a trick of the times,'' said Wamba; ``they
are all prisoners.''
``Who are prisoners?'' exclaimed Gurth, impatiently.
``My lord, and my lady, and Athelstane, and
Hundibert, and Oswald.''
``In the name of God!'' said Gurth, ``how came
they prisoners?---and to whom?''
``Our master was too ready to fight,'' said the
Jester; ``and Athelstane was not ready enough,
Ivanhoe |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Charmides and Other Poems by Oscar Wilde: For all our pomp and pageantry and powers
We are but fit to delve the common clay,
Seeing this little isle on which we stand,
This England, this sea-lion of the sea,
By ignorant demagogues is held in fee,
Who love her not: Dear God! is this the land
Which bare a triple empire in her hand
When Cromwell spake the word Democracy!
ON THE MASSACRE OF THE CHRISTIANS IN BULGARIA
Christ, dost Thou live indeed? or are Thy bones
Still straitened in their rock-hewn sepulchre?
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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 Child of Storm by H. Rider Haggard: front of the King. As he passed Mameena, she bent down over the dwarf
and began to whisper to him swiftly; but he placed his hands upon his
big head, covering up his ears, as I suppose, that he might not hear her
words.
"What have I to do with this matter, O King?" he asked.
"Much, it seems, O Opener-of-Roads," said Panda sternly, "seeing that
you were the doctor who smelt out Masapo, and that it was in your kraal
that yonder woman hid herself while her lover, the Prince, my son, who
is dead, went down to the battle, and that she was brought thence with
you. Tell us, now, the nature of this muti, and, being wise, as you
are, be careful to tell us truly, lest it should be said, O Zikali, that
Child of Storm |
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 Reminiscences of Tolstoy by Leo Tolstoy: lay long unsolved before me until it was suddenly made clear by the
will that he left behind him.
I remember how, after N. S. Leskóf's death, my father
read me his posthumous instructions with regard to a pauper
funeral, with no speeches at the grave, and so on, and how the
idea of writing his own will then came into his head for the
first time.
His first will was written in his diary, on March 27,
1895.¹
The fourth paragraph, to which I wish to call particular
attention, contains a request to his next of kin to transfer the
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