| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The New Machiavelli by H. G. Wells: speculating. . . .
After these orgies I would get home very tired and excited, and find
it difficult to get to sleep. I would lie and speculate about what
it was we WERE going to do. One hadn't anticipated quite such a
tremendous accession to power for one's party. Liberalism was
swirling in like a flood. . . .
I found the next few weeks very unsatisfactory and distressing. I
don't clearly remember what it was I had expected; I suppose the
fuss and strain of the General Election had built up a feeling that
my return would in some way put power into my hands, and instead I
found myself a mere undistinguished unit in a vast but rather vague
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Ballads by Robert Louis Stevenson: whatever body was found, the bearers indifferently took up.
Note 2, "PAI," "HONOURA," and "AHUPU." Legendary persons of
Tahiti, all natives of Taiarapu. Of the first two, I have
collected singular although imperfect legends, which I hope
soon to lay before the public in another place. Of Ahupu,
except in snatches of song, little memory appears to linger.
She dwelt at least about Tepari, - "the sea-cliffs," - the
eastern fastness of the isle; walked by paths known only to
herself upon the mountains; was courted by dangerous suitors
who came swimming from adjacent islands, and defended and
rescued (as I gather) by the loyalty of native fish. My
Ballads |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain: "Ah, but that would serve you but right," said
Dowley, "for you MUST inform. So saith the law."
The others coincided.
"Well, all right, let it go, since you vote me down.
But there's one thing which certainly isn't fair. The
magistrate fixes a mechanic's wage at 1 cent a day,
for instance. The law says that if any master shall
venture, even under utmost press of business, to pay
anything OVER that cent a day, even for a single day,
he shall be both fined and pilloried for it; and who-
ever knows he did it and doesn't inform, they also shall
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court |
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 Manon Lescaut by Abbe Prevost: Curiosity tempted us to see who it was that arrived at this hour.
They told us it was young G---- M----, the son of our most
vindictive enemy, of that debauched old sinner who had
incarcerated me in St. Lazare, and Manon in the Hospital. His
name made the blood mount to my cheeks. `It is Providence that
has led him here,' said I to M. de T----, that I may punish him
for the cowardly baseness of his father. He shall not escape
without our measuring swords at least.' M. de T----, who knew
him, and was even one of his most intimate friends, tried to
moderate my feelings of anger towards him. He assured me that he
was a most amiable young man, and so little capable of
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