| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Herodias by Gustave Flaubert: caused to be instructed in dancing, and other arts of pleasing, with
the sole idea of bringing her to Machaerus and presenting her to the
tetrarch, so that he should fall in love with her fresh young beauty
and feminine wiles. The plan had proved successful, it seemed; he was
evidently fascinated, and Herodias felt that at last she was sure of
retaining her power over him!
And now the graceful dancer appeared transported with the very
delirium of love and passion. She danced like the priestesses of
India, like the Nubians of the cataracts, or like the Bacchantes of
Lydia. She whirled about like a flower blown by the tempest. The
jewels in her ears sparkled, her swift movements made the colours of
Herodias |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Four Arthurian Romances by Chretien DeTroyes: cart. I will agree to anything, however grievous, excepting
that. I would rather die a hundred times than undergo such a
disgrace. In your goodness and mercy you can tell me nothing so
distasteful that I will not do it."
(Vv. 2793-2978.) While he is thus beseeching him, behold across
the field a maiden riding on a tawny mule, her head uncovered and
her dress disarranged. In her hand she held a whip with which
she belaboured the mule; and in truth no horse could have
galloped so fast as was the pace of the mule. The damsel called
out to the Knight of the Cart: "May God bless thy heart, Sir
Knight, with whatever delights thee most!" And he, who heard her
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table by Oliver Wendell Holmes: sometimes, because I have read some of them at this table. (The
company assented, - two or three of them in a resigned sort of way,
as I thought, as if they supposed I had an epic in my pocket, and
was going to read half a dozen books or so for their benefit.) - I
continued. Of course I write some lines or passages which are
better than others; some which, compared with the others, might be
called relatively excellent. It is in the nature of things that I
should consider these relatively excellent lines or passages as
absolutely good. So much must be pardoned to humanity. Now I
never wrote a "good" line in my life, but the moment after it was
written it seemed a hundred years old. Very commonly I had a
The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table |
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 Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbot: If our highly pointed Triangles of the Soldier class are formidable,
it may be readily inferred that far more formidable are our Women.
For if a Soldier is a wedge, a Woman is a needle; being, so to speak,
ALL point, at least at the two extremities. Add to this the power
of making herself practically invisible at will, and you will perceive
that a Female, in Flatland, is a creature by no means
to be trifled with.
But here, perhaps, some of my younger Readers may ask HOW a woman
in Flatland can make herself invisible. This ought, I think,
to be apparent without any explanation. However, a few words
will make it clear to the most unreflecting.
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions |
