| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain: who have read the Uncle Remus book; and a fine genius, too, as all know
by the same sign. I seem to be talking quite freely about this neighbor;
but in talking to the public I am but talking to his personal friends,
and these things are permissible among friends.
He deeply disappointed a number of children who had flocked
eagerly to Mr. Cable's house to get a glimpse of the illustrious
sage and oracle of the nation's nurseries. They said--
'Why, he 's white! '
They were grieved about it. So, to console them, the book was brought,
that they might hear Uncle Remus's Tar-Baby story from the lips of Uncle
Remus himself--or what, in their outraged eyes, was left of him.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from 'Twixt Land & Sea by Joseph Conrad: board his ship.
Heemskirk did not look up. Ensconced in the rocking-chair, and
puffing at a cheroot, he had the air of meditating surlily over
some odious outbreak. So at least it seemed to Freya. Old Nelson
said at once: "I'll stroll down with you." He had begun a
professional conversation about the dangers of the New Guinea
coast, and wanted to relate to Jasper some experience of his own
"over there." Jasper was such a good listener! Freya made as if
to accompany them, but her father frowned, shook his head, and
nodded significantly towards the immovable Heemskirk blotting out
smoke with half-closed eyes and protruded lips. The lieutenant
'Twixt Land & Sea |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Travels of Sir John Mandeville by Sir John Mandeville: men may not dwell there for the fervent burning of the sun, so is
it passing hot in that country.
In Ethiopia all the rivers and all the waters be trouble, and they
be somedeal salt for the great heat that is there. And the folk of
that country be lightly drunken and have but little appetite to
meat. And they have commonly the flux of the womb. And they live
not long. In Ethiopia be many diverse folk; and Ethiope is clept
Cusis. In that country be folk that have but one foot, and they go
so blyve that it is marvel. And the foot is so large, that it
shadoweth all the body against the sun, when they will lie and rest
them. In Ethiopia, when the children be young and little, they be
|
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 Water-Babies by Charles Kingsley: walked round outside every day, peeping just over the top of the
ice wall, to see that all went right; and now and then he played
conjuring tricks, or had an exhibition of fireworks, to amuse the
ice-fairies. For he would make himself into four or five suns at
once, or paint the sky with rings and crosses and crescents of
white fire, and stick himself in the middle of them, and wink at
the fairies; and I daresay they were very much amused; for
anything's fun in the country.
And there the good whales lay, the happy sleepy beasts, upon the
still oily sea. They were all right whales, you must know, and
finners, and razor-backs, and bottle-noses, and spotted sea-
|
