| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Chronicles of the Canongate by Walter Scott: bestowed on Robin Oig. The judges commended his drove,
especially Robin's own property, which were the best of them.
Some thrust out their snuff-mulls for the parting pinch, others
tendered the DOCH-AN-DORRACH, or parting cup. All cried, "Good-
luck travel out with you and come home with you. Give you luck
in the Saxon market--brave notes in the LEABHAR-DHU," (black
pocket-book), "and plenty of English gold in the SPORRAN" (pouch
of goat-skin).
The bonny lasses made their adieus more modestly, and more than
one, it was said, would have given her best brooch to be certain
that it was upon her that his eye last rested as he turned
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso: Or weaker posts so great a weight could bear.
XV
"But for well-guarded is the mighty tower
With hardy troops and squadrons round about,
And cannot harmed be with little power,
Nor fit the time to send whole armies out,
This pair who passed have many a dreadful stowre,
And proffer now to prove this venture stout,
Alone to this attempt let them go forth,
Alone than thousands of more price and worth.
XVI
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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 Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence: Mellors was a man, unprostituted. Connie pitied the wife of the
easily-overflowing Giovanni. But Daniele's wife would be one of those
sweet Venetian women of the people whom one still sees, modest and
flower-like in the back of that labyrinth of a town.
Ah, how sad that man first prostitutes woman, then woman prostitutes
man. Giovanni was pining to prostitute himself, dribbling like a dog,
wanting to give himself to a woman. And for money!
Connie looked at Venice far off, low and rose-coloured upon the water.
Built of money, blossomed of money, and dead with money. The
money-deadness! Money, money, money, prostitution and deadness.
Yet Daniele was still a man capable of a man's free allegiance. He did
Lady Chatterley's Lover |
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 In Darkest England and The Way Out by General William Booth: By this Scheme, we believe we shall be able to teach habits of economy,
household management, thrift, and the like. There are numbers of men
who, although suffering the direst pangs of poverty, know little or
nothing about the value of money, or the prudent use of it; and there
are hundreds of poor women who do not know what a decently-managed home
is, and who could not make one if they had the most ample means and
tried ever so hard to accomplish it, having never seen anything but
dirt, disorder, and misery in their domestic history. They could not
cook a dinner or prepare a meal decently if their lives were dependent
on it, never having had a chance of learning how to do it. But by this
Scheme hope to teach these things.
In Darkest England and The Way Out |
