| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Oscar Wilde Miscellaneous by Oscar Wilde: no account, the most gratifying success of the moment and the most
enthusiastic approval of as augurs cannot make them endure. The
waste-paper press can devour them as it has devoured many others,
and I will not shed a tear . . . and the world will move on just the
same."'--RICHARD STRAUSS.
The contents of this volume require some explanation of an
historical nature. It is scarcely realised by the present
generation that Wilde's works on their first appearance, with the
exception of De Profundis, were met with almost general condemnation
and ridicule. The plays on their first production were grudgingly
praised because their obvious success could not be ignored; but on
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Jolly Corner by Henry James: him, if he "plased," that he must ask it of somebody else.
The fact that there was nothing to see didn't militate for the
worthy woman against what one MIGHT see, and she put it frankly to
Miss Staverton that no lady could be expected to like, could she?
"craping up to thim top storeys in the ayvil hours." The gas and
the electric light were off the house, and she fairly evoked a
gruesome vision of her march through the great grey rooms - so many
of them as there were too! - with her glimmering taper. Miss
Staverton met her honest glare with a smile and the profession that
she herself certainly would recoil from such an adventure. Spencer
Brydon meanwhile held his peace - for the moment; the question of
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Plutarch's Lives by A. H. Clough: themselves. He made Flavius Sabinus, Vespasian's brother,
governor of Rome, either in honor to the memory of Nero, who had
advanced him formerly to that command, which Galba had taken
away, or else to show his confidence in Vespasian by his favor
to his brother.
After he came to Brixillum, a town of Italy near the Po, he
stayed behind himself, and ordered the army to march under the
conduct of Marius Celsus, Suetonius Paulinus, Gallus, and
Spurina, all men of experience and reputation, but unable to
carry their own plans and purposes into effect, by reason of the
ungovernable temper of the army, which would take orders from
|
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 Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen: Mrs. Allen had the use of for her plants in winter,
and there was a fire in it now and then."
"He is a happy man!" said the general, with a look
of very happy contempt.
Having taken her into every division, and led her
under every wall, till she was heartily weary of seeing
and wondering, he suffered the girls at last to seize
the advantage of an outer door, and then expressing his
wish to examine the effect of some recent alterations
about the tea-house, proposed it as no unpleasant
extension of their walk, if Miss Morland were not tired.
Northanger Abbey |
