| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, etc. by Oscar Wilde: discovered that a framed panel picture was clamped against it. On
taking it out, he found it was the picture that is now lying on the
sofa. It was very dirty, and covered with mould; but he managed to
clean it, and, to his great joy, saw that he had fallen by mere
chance on the one thing for which he had been looking. Here was an
authentic portrait of Mr. W. H., with his hand resting on the
dedicatory page of the Sonnets, and on the frame itself could be
faintly seen the name of the young man written in black uncial
letters on a faded gold ground, "Master Will. Hews."
'Well, what was I to say? It never occurred to me for a moment
that Cyril Graham was playing a trick on me, or that he was trying
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum: They lost no time in stuffing the Scarecrow anew, and
he was greatly delighted at being able to walk around
again and to assume the leadership of the little party.
"Really," said Trot, "I think you're better than you
were before, for you are fresh and sweet all through and
rustle beautifully when you move."
"Thank you, my dear," he replied gratefully. "I always
feel like a new man when I'm freshly stuffed. No one
likes to get musty, you know, and even good straw may be
spoiled by age."
"It was water that spoiled you, the last time,"
The Scarecrow of Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Hunting of the Snark by Lewis Carroll: Exactly and perfectly true.
"The method employed I would gladly explain,
While I have it so clear in my head,
If I had but the time and you had but the brain--
But much yet remains to be said.
"In one moment I've seen what has hitherto been
Enveloped in absolute mystery,
And without extra charge I will give you at large
A Lesson in Natural History."
In his genial way he proceeded to say
(Forgetting all laws of propriety,
The Hunting of the Snark |
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 Dead Souls by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol: mountains (as it were) or enclosed within a massive shell, its
movements produced no sort of agitation on the surface.
"Well?" said Chichikov--though not without a certain tremor of
diffidence as to the possible response.
"You are after dead souls?" were Sobakevitch's perfectly simple words.
He spoke without the least surprise in his tone, and much as though
the conversation had been turning on grain.
"Yes," replied Chichikov, and then, as before, softened down the
expression "dead souls."
"They are to be found," said Sobakevitch. "Why should they not be?"
"Then of course you will be glad to get rid of any that you may chance
Dead Souls |
