| 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: HERODIAS. J'approuve ce que ma fille a fait, et je veux rester ici
maintenant.
HERODE [se levant] Ah! l'epouse incestueuse qui parle! Viens! Je
ne veux pas rester ici. Viens, je te dis. Je suis sur qu'il va
arriver un malheur. Manasse, Issachar, Ozias, eteignez les
flambeaux. Je ne veux pas regarder les choses. Je ne veux pas que
les choses me regardent. Eteignez les flambeaux. Cachez la lune!
Cachez les etoiles! Cachons-nous dans notre palais, Herodias. Je
commence e avoir peur.
[Les esclaves eteignent les flambeaux. Les etoiles disparaissent.
Un grand nuage noir passe e travers la lune et la cache
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Koran: for them.
And mention, in the Book, Moses; verily, he was sincere, and was
an apostle,-a prophet. We called him from the right side of the
mountain; and we made him draw nigh unto us to commune with him, and
we granted him, of our mercy, his brother Aaron as a prophet.
And mention, in the Book, Ishmael; verily, he was true to his
promise, and was an apostle, a prophet; and he used to bid his
people prayers and almsgiving, and was acceptable in the sight of
his Lord.
And mention, in the Book, Idris; verily, he was a confessor,-a
prophet; and we raised him to a lofty place.
The Koran |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The First Men In The Moon by H. G. Wells: blowing up out of the gulf.
For a moment I and Cavor stood as near the edge as we dared, peering into
a blue-tinged profundity. And then our guide was pulling at my arm.
Then he left me, and walked to the end of that plank and stepped upon it,
looking back. Then when he perceived we watched him, he turned about and
went on along it, walking as surely as though he was on firm earth. For a
moment his form was distinct, then he became a blue blur, and then
vanished into the obscurity. I became aware of some vague shape looming
darkly out of the black.
There was a pause. "Surely! -" said Cavor.
One of the other Selenites walked a few paces out upon the plank, and
The First Men In The Moon |
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 1492 by Mary Johntson: What if over by the sunset there is Ocean-Sea again, true
ocean and as many leagues to Asia as to Spain? What if
they cannot lead us to Quinsai, Cambaluc or Zaiton, or to
the Ganges' mouth, or Aurea Chersonesus, because they
never heard of them, and they have no ships to pass again
an Ocean-Sea? What if it is all New, and all the maps
have to be redrawn?''
He looked at me as I spoke, steadily and earnestly. What
Juan Lepe said was not the first entry into his mind of
something like that. But he was held by that great mass
of him that was bound by the thinking of the Venerable.
|
