| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells: seemed at first, going with a rolling motion and as fast as
flying birds.
Then, advancing obliquely towards us, came a fifth. Their
armoured bodies glittered in the sun as they swept swiftly
forward upon the guns, growing rapidly larger as they drew
nearer. One on the extreme left, the remotest that is, flour-
ished a huge case high in the air, and the ghostly, terrible
Heat-Ray I had already seen on Friday night smote towards
Chertsey, and struck the town.
At sight of these strange, swift, and terrible creatures the
crowd near the water's edge seemed to me to be for a moment
War of the Worlds |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Records of a Family of Engineers by Robert Louis Stevenson: however, that along with the writer's assistants and the
sailors there were also some of the artificers themselves who
felt no such scruples, and in this way these difficulties were
the more easily surmounted. In matters where life is in
danger it becomes necessary to treat even unfounded prejudices
with tenderness, as an accident, under certain circumstances,
would not only have been particularly painful to those giving
directions, but have proved highly detrimental to the work,
especially in the early stages of its advancement.
At four o'clock fifty-eight persons landed; but the tides
being extremely languid, the water only left the higher parts
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Montezuma's Daughter by H. Rider Haggard: and the English maid from whom I had parted beneath the beech at
Ditchingham, and the words that we had spoken then. Doubtless she
still lived and was true to me; while I lived should I not keep
true at heart to her? If I must wed these Indian girls, I must wed
them, but if once I told Otomie that I loved her, then I broke my
troth, and with nothing less would she be satisfied. As yet,
though I was deeply moved and the temptation was great, I had not
come to this.
'Be seated, Otomie,' I said, 'and listen to me. You see this
golden token,' and I drew Lily's posy ring from my hand, 'and you
see the writing within it.'
Montezuma's Daughter |
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 The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum: Prince of the Knooks, who rules all his people in Burzee, and also for
the Queen of the Fairies and the Prince of the Ryls.
When all had assembled Claus told his story again, at Ak's command,
and then the Master addressed the Prince of the Knooks, saying:
"The good work that Claus is doing among mankind deserves the support
of every honest immortal. Already he is called a Saint in some of the
towns, and before long the name of Santa Claus will be lovingly known
in every home that is blessed with children. Moreover, he is a son of
our Forest, so we owe him our encouragement. You, Ruler of the
Knooks, have known him these many years; am I not right in saying he
deserves our friendship?"
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus |
