| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay: Corpang covered his eyes with one hand, and prayed silently. After a
few minutes the light sensibly faded. Then Maskull knelt as well,
but he continued looking.
It grew darker and darker, until all was like the blackest night.
Sight and sound no longer existed; he was alone with his own spirit.
Then one of the three Colossi came slowly into sight again. But it
had ceased to be a statue - it was a living person. Out of the
blackness of space a gigantic head and chest emerged, illuminated by
a mystic, rosy glow, like a mountain peak bathed by the rising sun.
As the light grew stronger Maskull saw that the flesh was translucent
and that the glow came from within. The limbs of the apparition were
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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 Island of Doctor Moreau by H. G. Wells: all that be new to learn the Law. I sit in the darkness and say
the Law."
"It is even so," said one of the beasts in the doorway.
"Evil are the punishments of those who break the Law.
None escape."
"None escape," said the Beast Folk, glancing furtively at one another.
"None, none," said the Ape-man,--"none escape. See! I did a little thing,
a wrong thing, once. I jabbered, jabbered, stopped talking.
None could understand. I am burnt, branded in the hand. He is great.
He is good!"
"None escape," said the grey creature in the corner.
The Island of Doctor Moreau |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Second Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling: sorrow?' And the First of the Tigers, lifting up his muzzle to
the new-made sky, which is now so old, said: 'Give me back my
power, O Tha. I am made ashamed before all the Jungle, and I
have run away from a Hairless One, and he has called me a
shameful name.' 'And why?' said Tha. 'Because I am smeared with
the mud of the marshes,' said the First of the Tigers. 'Swim,
then, and roll on the wet grass, and if it be mud it will wash
away,' said Tha; and the First of the Tigers swam, and rolled
and rolled upon the grass, till the Jungle ran round and round
before his eyes, but not one little bar upon all his hide was
changed, and Tha, watching him, laughed. Then the First of the
The Second Jungle Book |
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 Poems by T. S. Eliot: "Four o'clock,
Here is the number on the door.
Memory!
You have the key,
The little lamp spreads a ring on the stair,
Mount.
The bed is open; the tooth-brush hangs on the wall,
Put your shoes at the door, sleep, prepare for life."
The last twist of the knife.
Morning at the Window
They are rattling breakfast plates in basement kitchens,
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