| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: violent exertion of any kind. Many of the foes opposed were
personally acquainted, and sought to match themselves with each
other from motives of hatred, or a more generous emulation of
valour. Neither party would retreat an inch, while the place of
those who fell (and they fell fast on both sides) was eagerly
supplied by others, who thronged to the front of danger. A
steam, like that which arises from a seething cauldron, rose into
the thin, cold, frosty air, and hovered above the combatants.
So stood the fight on the right and the centre, with no immediate
consequence, except mutual wounds and death.
On the right of the Campbells, the Knight of Ardenvohr obtained
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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 Wrong Box by Stevenson & Osbourne: the German character.' And he held the cutting out for
verification, much as a conjuror passes a trick orange along the
front bench.
'Hullo, old gentleman! Is this you?' said Michael, laying his
hand upon the orator's shoulder.
The figure turned with a convulsion of alarm, and showed the
countenance of Mr Joseph Finsbury. 'You, Michael!' he cried.
'There's no one with you, is there?'
'No,' replied Michael, ordering a brandy and soda, 'there's
nobody with me; whom do you expect?'
'I thought of Morris or John,' said the old gentleman, evidently
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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 An International Episode by Henry James: "Oh, I say, she is not 'informed!'" cried Lord Lambeth.
"No one would do such a thing as that."
"She is made to feel it," the young girl insisted--"as if they were afraid
she would make a rush for the door. No; you have a lovely country,"
said Bessie Alden, "but your precedence is horrid."
"I certainly shouldn't think your sister would like it,"
rejoined Lord Lambeth with even exaggerated gravity.
But Bessie Alden could induce him to enter no formal protest
against this repulsive custom, which he seemed to think
an extreme convenience.
Percy Beaumont all this time had been a very much less
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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 Shadow out of Time by H. P. Lovecraft: each sand-embedded megalith seemed part of endless rooms and corridors
of pre-human masonry, carved and hieroglyphed with symbols that
I knew too well from years of custom as a captive mind of the
Great Race.
At moments I fancied I saw those omniscient, conical
horrors moving about at their accustomed tasks, and I feared to
look down lest I find myself one with them in aspect. Yet all
the while I saw the sand-covered blocks as well as the rooms and
corridors; the evil, burning moon as well as the lamps of luminous
crystal; the endless desert as well as the waving ferns beyond
the windows. I was awake and dreaming at the same time.
Shadow out of Time |
