| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Chinese Boy and Girl by Isaac Taylor Headland: and the Candlestick."
She told him that the Chinese call the Milky Way the
Heavenly River, and that the Spinning Girl referred to in the
story is none other than the beautiful big star in Lyra which
we call Vega, while the Cow-herd is Altair in Aquila.
THE HEAVENLY RIVER, WITH THE PEOPLE WHO DWELL THEREON.
Once upon a time there dwelt a beautiful maiden in a
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre: angles of which, prolonged with cords or lines, form the main
support of the building. The spinnerets never touch this part
without giving it, each time, until the end of the work, a certain
added solidity, necessary to secure the stability of the balloon.
The suspensory indentations soon outline a crater which needs
plugging. The Spider closes the bag with a padded stopper similar
to that with which she sealed the egg-pocket.
When these arrangements are made, the real manufacture of the
wrapper begins. The Spider goes backwards and forwards, turns and
turns again. The spinnerets do not touch the fabric. With a
rhythmical, alternate movement, the hind-legs, the sole implements
The Life of the Spider |
| 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 Flatiron building, and missed seeing the Bronxless
menagerie by about a couple of nights. And then, at the
ebb tide, we were walking up a street that parallels and
parodies Broadway.
A woman with a comely and mundane countenance
passed us, holding in leash a wheezing, vicious, waddling,
brute of a yellow pug. The dog entangled himself with
Bridger's legs and mumbled his ankles in a snarling,
peevish, sulky bite. Bridger, with a happy smile, kicked
the breath out of the brute; the woman showered us
with a quick rain of well-conceived adjectives that left
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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 Nada the Lily by H. Rider Haggard: When Umslopogaas had shut the cave, he moved swiftly down the
mountain, and with him went certain of the wolves; not all, for he had
not summoned them. His heart was heavy, for he feared that Galazi was
no more. Also he was mad with rage, and plotted in himself to destroy
the Slayers of the king, every man of them; but first he must learn
what they would do. Presently, as he wended, he heard a long, low howl
far away in the forest; then he rejoiced, for he knew the call--it was
the call of Galazi, who had escaped the spears of the Slayers.
Swiftly he ran, calling in answer. He won the place. There, seated on
a stone, resting himself, was Galazi, and round him surged the numbers
of the Grey People. Umslopogaas came to him and looked at him, for he
Nada the Lily |
