| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Children of the Night by Edwin Arlington Robinson: With big strong steps, and -- No more. I thank you,
But no -- I am all right now! No! -- listen!
I am here to be hanged; to be hanged to-morrow
At six o'clock, when the sun is rising.
And why am I here? Not a soul can tell you
But this poor shivering thing before you,
This fluttering wreck of the man God made him,
For God knows what wild reason. Hear me,
And learn from my lips the truth of my story.
There's nothing strange in what I shall tell you,
Nothing mysterious, nothing unearthly, --
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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 Talisman by Walter Scott: many steps up the narrow ascent. At length they rested in a
small vault of irregular form, in one nook of which the staircase
terminated, while in another corner a corresponding stair was
seen to continue the ascent. In a third angle was a Gothic door,
very rudely ornamented with the usual attributes of clustered
columns and carving, and defended by a wicket, strongly guarded
with iron, and studded with large nails. To this last point the
hermit directed his steps, which seemed to falter as he
approached it.
"Put off thy shoes," he said to his attendant; "the ground on
which thou standest is holy. Banish from thy innermost heart
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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 Paradise Lost by John Milton: Of happiness!--Yet well, if here would end
The misery; I deserved it, and would bear
My own deservings; but this will not serve:
All that I eat or drink, or shall beget,
Is propagated curse. O voice, once heard
Delightfully, Encrease and multiply;
Now death to hear! for what can I encrease,
Or multiply, but curses on my head?
Who of all ages to succeed, but, feeling
The evil on him brought by me, will curse
My head? Ill fare our ancestor impure,
Paradise Lost |
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 A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: in this branch of commence a man betrays, whoever lets the word
come out of his lips, till an hour or two, at least, after the time
that his silence upon it becomes tormenting. A course of small,
quiet attentions, not so pointed as to alarm, - nor so vague as to
be misunderstood - with now and then a look of kindness, and little
or nothing said upon it, - leaves nature for your mistress, and she
fashions it to her mind. -
Then I solemnly declare, said the lady, blushing, you have been
making love to me all this while.
THE REMISE. CALAIS.
MONSIEUR DESSEIN came back to let us out of the chaise, and
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