| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Dunwich Horror by H. P. Lovecraft: of aspect, and his height, having reached the normal adult limit,
seemed inclined to wax beyond that figure. In 1925, when a scholarly
correspondent from Miskatonic University called upon him one day
and departed pale and puzzled, he was fully six and three-quarters
feet tall.
Through all the years Wilbur had treated his half-deformed
albino mother with a growing contempt, finally forbidding her
to go to the hills with him on May Eve and Hallowmass; and in
1926 the poor creature complained to Mamie Bishop of being afraid
of him.
'They's more abaout him as I knows than I kin tell ye,
The Dunwich Horror |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: us into misbelief, false security, and obduracy, or, on the other hand,
to despair, denial of God, blasphemy, and innumerable other shocking
things. These are indeed snares and nets, yea, real fiery darts which
are shot most venomously into the heart, not by flesh and blood, but by
the devil.
Great and grievous, indeed, are these dangers and temptations which
every Christian must bear, even though each one were alone by himself,
so that every hour that we are in this vile life where we are attacked
on all sides, chased and hunted down, we are moved to cry out and to
pray that God would not suffer us to become weary and faint and to
relapse into sin, shame, and unbelief. For otherwise it is impossible
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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 Whirligigs by O. Henry: the next floor above who had twice their income;
and their marriage had occurred on a wager, a ferry-
boat and first acquaintance, thus securing a
sensational newspaper notice with their names attached
to pictures of the Queen of Roumania and M. Santos-
Dumont.
Turpin's income was $200 per month. On pay day,
after calculating the amounts due for rent, instalments
on furniture and piano, gas, and bills owed to the florist,
confectioner, milliner, tailor, wine merchant and cab
company, the Turpins would find that they still had $200
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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 The Iliad by Homer: not nurse it for ever; therefore, bid the Achaeans arm forthwith
that I may go out against the Trojans, and learn whether they
will be in a mind to sleep by the ships or no. Glad, I ween, will
he be to rest his knees who may fly my spear when I wield it."
Thus did he speak, and the Achaeans rejoiced in that he had put
away his anger.
Then Agamemnon spoke, rising in his place, and not going into the
middle of the assembly. "Danaan heroes," said he, "servants of
Mars, it is well to listen when a man stands up to speak, and it
is not seemly to interrupt him, or it will go hard even with a
practised speaker. Who can either hear or speak in an uproar?
The Iliad |
