| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Montezuma's Daughter by H. Rider Haggard: the man with the coarse raillery of the camp, till at length she
put him in a good humour, and he opened the gate, bidding her
begone and me with her. Already we had passed the gate when a
sudden faintness seized me, and I stumbled and fell, rolling over
on to my back as I touched the earth.
'Up, friend, up!' said Otomie, with a harsh laugh. 'If you must
sleep, wait till you find some friendly bush,' and she dragged at
me to lift me. The Tlascalan, still laughing, came forward to help
her, and between them I gained my feet again, but as I rose, my
cap, which fitted me but ill, fell off. He picked it up and gave
it to me and our eyes met, my face being somewhat in the shadow.
Montezuma's Daughter |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Mirror of the Sea by Joseph Conrad: have stood so long the weather she had to live through for days and
days before we got dismasted a fortnight ago. She was fairly worn
out, and that's all. You may believe me. She lasted under us for
days and days, but she could not last for ever. It was long
enough. I am glad it is over. No better ship was ever left to
sink at sea on such a day as this."
He was competent to pronounce the funereal oration of a ship, this
son of ancient sea-folk, whose national existence, so little
stained by the excesses of manly virtues, had demanded nothing but
the merest foothold from the earth. By the merits of his sea-wise
forefathers and by the artlessness of his heart, he was made fit to
The Mirror of the Sea |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Passionate Pilgrim by William Shakespeare: VII.
Fair is my love, but not so fair as fickle;
Mild as a dove, but neither true nor trusty;
Brighter than glass, and yet, as glass is brittle;
Softer than wax, and yet, as iron, rusty:
A lily pale, with damask dye to grace her,
None fairer, nor none falser to deface her.
Her lips to mine how often hath she joined,
Between each kiss her oaths of true love swearing!
How many tales to please me bath she coined,
Dreading my love, the loss thereof still fearing!
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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 From London to Land's End by Daniel Defoe: Hampton Court into his favour, and has made it much his choice for
the summer's retreat of the Court, and where they may best enjoy
the diversions of the season. When Hampton Court will find such
another favourable juncture as in King William's time, when the
remainder of her ashes shall be swept away, and her complete
fabric, as designed by King William, shall be finished, I cannot
tell; but if ever that shall be, I know no palace in Europe,
Versailles excepted, which can come up to her, either for beauty
and magnificence, or for extent of building, and the ornaments
attending it.
From Hampton Court I directed my course for a journey into the
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