| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Brother of Daphne by Dornford Yates: me again. A man has to think of all these little things. I say,
we're giving the walls the time of their life, aren't we? Have
another cigarette?"
"After which I must go to bed."
"As you please, Mistress Eve," said I, reaching for a live coal
to give her a light.
For a little space we sat silent, watching the play of the
flames. Then she spoke slowly, half her thoughts elsewhere:
"You never told me your fairy tale, Adam."
"I expect you know it," said I. "It's all about the princess a
fellow found in the snow, and how he took her to his home for
The Brother of Daphne |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Georgics by Virgil: As altar-victims, or to cleave the ground
And into ridges tear and turn the sod.
The rest along the greensward graze at will.
Those that to rustic uses thou wouldst mould,
As calves encourage and take steps to tame,
While pliant wills and plastic youth allow.
And first of slender withies round the throat
Loose collars hang, then when their free-born necks
Are used to service, with the self-same bands
Yoke them in pairs, and steer by steer compel
Keep pace together. And time it is that oft
Georgics |
