| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from My Aunt Margaret's Mirror by Walter Scott: the short time which he spent in his own dull house, Sir Philip
Forester determined to take a trip to the Continent, in the
capacity of a volunteer. It was then common for men of fashion
to do so; and our knight perhaps was of opinion that a touch of
the military character, just enough to exalt, but not render
pedantic, his qualities as a BEAU GARCON, was necessary to
maintain possession of the elevated situation which he held in
the ranks of fashion.
Sir Philip's resolution threw his wife into agonies of terror; by
which the worthy baronet was so much annoyed, that, contrary to
his wont, he took some trouble to soothe her apprehensions, and
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne: Ulysses, and everything else, except this banquet, at which
they wanted to keep feasting forever. But at length they began
to give over, from mere incapacity to hold any more.
"That last bit of fat is too much for me," said one.
"And I have not room for another morsel," said his next
neighbor, heaving a sigh. "What a pity! My appetite is as sharp
as ever."
In short, they all left off eating, and leaned back on their
thrones, with such a stupid and helpless aspect as made them
ridiculous to behold. When their hostess saw this, she laughed
aloud; so did her four damsels; so did the two and twenty
Tanglewood Tales |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Rivers to the Sea by Sara Teasdale: I found more joy in sorrow
Than you could find in joy."
III
OVER THE ROOFS
I
OH chimes set high on the sunny tower
Ring on, ring on unendingly,
Make all the hours a single hour,
For when the dusk begins to flower,
The man I love will come to me! . . .
But no, go slowly as you will,
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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 Moral Emblems by Robert Louis Stevenson: MORAL EMBLEMS: A COLLECTION OF CUTS AND VERSES
I. See how the children in the print
II. Reader, your soul upraise to see
III. A PEAK IN DARIEN - Broad-gazing on untrodden lands
IV. See in the print how, moved by whim
V. Mark, printed on the opposing page
MORAL EMBLEMS: A SECOND COLLECTION OF CUTS AND VERSES
I. With storms a-weather, rocks-a-lee
II. The careful angler chose his nook
III. The Abbot for a walk went out
IV. The frozen peaks he once explored
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