| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Red Inn by Honore de Balzac: won't fight always, 'ceux-ci.' Well, when there's peace, will you go
to Beauvais? If my mother has survived the fatal news of my death, you
will find her there. Say to her the comforting words, 'He was
innocent!' She will believe you. I am going to write to her; but you
must take her my last look; you must tell her that you were the last
man whose hand I pressed. Oh, she'll love you, the poor woman! you, my
last friend. Here," he said, after a moment's silence, during which he
was overcome by the weight of his recollections, "all, officers and
soldiers, are unknown to me; I am an object of horror to them. If it
were not for you my innocence would be a secret between God and
myself."
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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 Koran: from men importunately; but what ye spend of good God knows.
Those who expend their wealth by night and day, secretly and openly,
they shall have their hire with their Lord. No fear shall come on
them, nor shall they grieve.
Those who devour usury shall not rise again, save as he riseth
whom Satan hath paralysed with a touch; and that is because they say
'selling is only like usury,' but God has made selling lawful and
usury unlawful; and he to whom the admonition from his Lord has
come, if he desists, what has gone before is his: his matter is in
God's hands. But whosoever returns (to usury) these are the fellows of
the Fire, and they shall dwell therein for aye. God shall blot out
The Koran |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Phantasmagoria and Other Poems by Lewis Carroll: Without your Gold mere Knowledge fails
To sate the swinish appetite!"
And, where great Plato paced serene,
Or Newton paused with wistful eye,
Rush to the chace with hoofs unclean
And Babel-clamour of the sty
Be yours the pay: be theirs the praise:
We will not rob them of their due,
Nor vex the ghosts of other days
By naming them along with you.
They sought and found undying fame:
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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 Shakespeare's Sonnets by William Shakespeare: Yet mortal looks adore his beauty still,
Attending on his golden pilgrimage:
But when from highmost pitch, with weary car,
Like feeble age, he reeleth from the day,
The eyes, 'fore duteous, now converted are
From his low tract, and look another way:
So thou, thyself outgoing in thy noon:
Unlook'd, on diest unless thou get a son.
VIII
Music to hear, why hear'st thou music sadly?
Sweets with sweets war not, joy delights in joy:
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