| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin: of education for our young females, as likely to be of more use
to them and their children, in case of widowhood, than either music
or dancing, by preserving them from losses by imposition of crafty men,
and enabling them to continue, perhaps, a profitable mercantile house,
with establish'd correspondence, till a son is grown up fit to undertake
and go on with it, to the lasting advantage and enriching of the family.
About the year 1734 there arrived among us from Ireland a young
Presbyterian preacher, named Hemphill, who delivered with a
good voice, and apparently extempore, most excellent discourses,
which drew together considerable numbers of different persuasion,
who join'd in admiring them. Among the rest, I became one of his
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from When the World Shook by H. Rider Haggard: those that were cold grow hot."
"All of which things have happened many time in the history of
the globe," said Bickley, "without the help of the Lord Oro."
"Others had knowledge before my father, and others doubtless
will have knowledge after him. Even I, Yva, have some knowledge,
and knowledge is strength."
"Yes," I interposed, "but such powers as you attribute to your
father are not given to man."
"You mean to man as you know him, man like Bickley, who thinks
that he has learned everything that was ever learned. But it is
not so. Hundreds of thousands of years ago men knew more than it
When the World Shook |
| 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: word more: Do not linger about this kraal too long, lest it should be
said that you are the accepted suitor of Mameena. Go hence and do a
man's work, and return with a man's reward, or not at all.'"
[*--In Zululand a son-in-law is known as "isigodo so mkwenyana", the
"son-in-law log," for the reason stated in the text.--EDITOR.]
"Well, Saduko, that spear has an edge on it, has it not?" I answered.
"And now, what is your plan?"
"My plan is, Macumazahn," he said, rising from his seat, "to go hence
and gather those who are friendly to me because I am my father's son and
still the chief of the Amangwane, or those who are left of them,
although I have no kraal and no hoof of kine. Then, within a moon, I
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 Lysis by Plato: these are the sort of old wives' tales which he sings and recites to us,
and we are obliged to listen to him.
When I heard this, I said: O ridiculous Hippothales! how can you be making
and singing hymns in honour of yourself before you have won?
But my songs and verses, he said, are not in honour of myself, Socrates.
You think not? I said.
Nay, but what do you think? he replied.
Most assuredly, I said, those songs are all in your own honour; for if you
win your beautiful love, your discourses and songs will be a glory to you,
and may be truly regarded as hymns of praise composed in honour of you who
have conquered and won such a love; but if he slips away from you, the more
Lysis |
