| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Lesson of the Master by Henry James: "And I hope you like it," said Overt, looking at Mrs. St. George.
"Well, a little house in Manchester Square - there's a limit to the
enthusiasm THAT inspires."
"Oh I meant being at home again - being back in Piccadilly."
"My daughter likes Piccadilly - that's the main thing. She's very
fond of art and music and literature and all that kind of thing.
She missed it in India and she finds it in London, or she hopes
she'll find it. Mr. St. George has promised to help her - he has
been awfully kind to her. She has gone to church - she's fond of
that too - but they'll all be back in a quarter of an hour. You
must let me introduce you to her - she'll be so glad to know you.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Heroes by Charles Kingsley: thigh, he cut through the brass as if it had been flax.
'Now,' he said, 'you belong to me, and not to these sea-Gods,
whosoever they may be!' But she only called the more on her
mother.
'Why call on your mother? She can be no mother to have left
you here. If a bird is dropped out of the nest, it belongs
to the man who picks it up. If a jewel is cast by the
wayside, it is his who dare win it and wear it, as I will win
you and will wear you. I know now why Pallas Athene sent me
hither. She sent me to gain a prize worth all my toil and
more.'
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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 Cromwell by William Shakespeare: MISTRESS BANISTER.
God save you, sir, sir; pray, is your name master Cromwell?
CROMWELL.
My name is Thomas Cromwell, gentlewoman.
MISTRESS BANISTER.
Know you not one Bagot, sir, that's come to Antwerp?
CROMWELL.
No, trust me, I never saw the man,
But here are bills of debt I have received,
Against one Banister, a Merchant fallen into decay.
MISTRESS BANISTER.
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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 The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson: morning doze. I was still so engaged when, in one of my more
wakeful moments, my eyes fell upon my hand. Now the hand of Henry
Jekyll (as you have often remarked) was professional in shape and
size: it was large, firm, white and comely. But the hand which I
now saw, clearly enough, in the yellow light of a mid-London
morning, lying half shut on the bedclothes, was lean, corder,
knuckly, of a dusky pallor and thickly shaded with a swart growth
of hair. It was the hand of Edward Hyde.
I must have stared upon it for near half a minute, sunk as I
was in the mere stupidity of wonder, before terror woke up in my
breast as sudden and startling as the crash of cymbals; and
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde |
