| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Soul of a Bishop by H. G. Wells: dome, and then she glanced in passing at possible "p'ocessions"
round the preaching dome. This preaching dome was not a mere
shut-in drum for spiritual reverberations, around it ran great
open corridors, and in these corridors there were to be
"chapels."
"But what for?" he asked, stemming the torrent. "What need is
there for chapels? There are to be no altars, no masses, no
sacraments?"
"No," she said, "but they are to be chapels for special
int'ests; a chapel for science, a chapel for healing, a chapel
for gov'ment. Places for peoples to sit and think about those
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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 Rape of Lucrece by William Shakespeare: But will is deaf, and hears no heedful friends;
Only he hath an eye to gaze on beauty,
And dotes on what he looks, 'gainst law or duty.
'I have debated, even in my soul,
What wrong, what shame, what sorrow I shall breed;
But nothing can Affection's course control,
Or stop the headlong fury of his speed.
I know repentant tears ensue the deed,
Reproach, disdain, and deadly enmity;
Yet strike I to embrace mine infamy.'
This said, he shakes aloft his Roman blade,
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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 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: tickled mine ear as it whizzed past. This same running hath
given me a most craving appetite for victuals and drink.
Now I pray Saint Dunstan that he send me speedily some meat and beer."
It seemed as though Saint Dunstan was like to answer his prayer,
for along the road came plodding a certain cobbler, one Quince,
of Derby, who had been to take a pair of shoes to a farmer nigh
Kirk Langly, and was now coming back home again, with a fair boiled
capon in his pouch and a stout pottle of beer by his side, which same
the farmer had given him for joy of such a stout pair of shoon.
Good Quince was an honest fellow, but his wits were somewhat of
the heavy sort, like unbaked dough, so that the only thing that was
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood |
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 On Horsemanship by Xenophon: unhorse him if anything."
If it ever happens that you have an enemy's camp in front, and cavalry
skirmishing is the order of the day (at one time charging the enemy
right up to the hostile battle-line, and again beating a retreat),
under these circumstances it is well to bear in mind that so long as
the skirmisher is close to his own party,[12] valour and discretion
alike dictate to wheel and charge in the vanguard might and main; but
when he finds himself in close proximity to the foe, he must keep his
horse well in hand. This, in all probability, will enable him to do
the greatest mischief to the enemy, and to receive least damage at his
hands.
On Horsemanship |
