| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner: I was paid anything for it."
The Mozambiquer only showed her white teeth good-naturedly for answer, and
went out, and the landlady followed her.
Gregory, glad to be alone, watched the sunshine as it came over the
fuchsias in the window, and ran up and down on the panelled door in the
corner. The Mozambiquer had closed it loosely behind her, and presently
something touched it inside. It moved a little, then it was still, then
moved again; then through the gap a small nose appeared, and a yellow ear
overlapping one eye; then the whole head obtruded, placed itself critically
on one side, wrinkled its nose disapprovingly at Gregory, and withdrew.
Through the half-open door came a faint scent of vinegar, and the room was
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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 Lesson of the Master by Henry James: carried on our life with the greatest art, the rarest devotion, and
I was free, as few men can have been, to drive my pen, to shut
myself up with my trade. This was a rare service - the highest she
could have rendered me. Would I could have acknowledged it more
fitly!"
A certain bewilderment, for our hero, disengaged itself from these
remarks: they struck him as a contradiction, a retractation,
strange on the part of a man who hadn't the excuse of witlessness.
He had certainly not expected his correspondent to rejoice in the
death of his wife, and it was perfectly in order that the rupture
of a tie of more than twenty years should have left him sore. But
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Droll Stories, V. 1 by Honore de Balzac: love, in order that she should not one day be reproached with having
not only dissipated the life, but also the happiness of this
gentleman. When the officiating priest turned round to sing the Off
you go to this fine gilded flock, the constable's wife went out by the
side of the pillar where her courtier was, passed in front of him and
endeavoured to insinuate into his understanding by a speaking glance
that he was to follow her, and to make positive the intelligence and
significant interpretation of this gentle appeal, the artful jade
turned round again a little after passing him to again request his
company. She saw that he had moved a little from his place, and dared
not advance, so modest was he, but upon this last sign, the gentleman,
Droll Stories, V. 1 |
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 Golden Threshold by Sarojini Naidu: Thine is the womb where our riches have birth.
We bring thee our love and our garlands for tribute,
With gifts of thy opulent giving we come;
O source of our manifold gladness, we hail thee,
We praise thee, O Prithvi, with cymbal and drum.
All Voices
Lord of the Universe, Lord of our being,
Father eternal, ineffable Om!
Thou art the Seed and the Scythe of our harvests,
Thou art our Hands and our Heart and our Home.
We bring thee our lives and our labours for tribute,
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