| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Four Arthurian Romances by Chretien DeTroyes: the horse and arms of the knight himself. He wished to win them
by himself, and would fain attack him first, if they would give
him leave: and they willingly gave consent. Then he leaves them
and rides ahead on a good and nimble steed. Erec saw him, but
made pretence that he did not yet notice him. When Enide saw
them, her heart jumped with fear and great dismay. "Alas!" said
she, "I know not what to say or do; for my lord severely
threatens me, and says that he will punish me, if I speak a word
to him. But if my lord were dead now, there would be no comfort
for me. I should be killed and roughly treated. God! my lord
does not see them! Why, then, do I hesitate, crazed as I am? I
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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 Odyssey by Homer: first I loosed myself from under the ram and then I set my
fellows free. And swiftly we drave on those stiff-shanked
sheep, so rich in fat, and often turned to look about, till
we came to the ship. And a glad sight to our fellows were
we that had fled from death, but the others they would have
bemoaned with tears; howbeit I suffered it not, but with
frowning brows forbade each man to weep. Rather I bade them
to cast on board the many sheep with goodly fleece, and to
sail over the salt sea water. So they embarked forthwith,
and sate upon the benches, and sitting orderly smote the
grey sea water with their oars. But when I had not gone so
The Odyssey |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Herland by Charlotte Gilman: preventive measures, and cures; sometimes we have to `send the
patient to bed,' as it were; but that's not a punishment--it's only
part of the treatment," she explained.
Then studying my point of view more closely, she added:
"You see, we recognize, in our human motherhood, a great tender
limitless uplifting force--patience and wisdom and all subtlety
of delicate method. We credit God--our idea of God--with all that
and more. Our mothers are not angry with us--why should God be?"
"Does God mean a person to you?"
This she thought over a little. "Why--in trying to get close
to it in our minds we personify the idea, naturally; but we
Herland |
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 Cousin Pons by Honore de Balzac: men--"
"Elie Magus, Remonencq, and--"
"Oh! as for Remonencq, you may have seen /him/, for he came up to tell
me that my poor Cibot is so bad that I must clear out of this and come
down. My Cibot comes first, you see. When my husband is ill, I can
think of nobody else. Try to keep quiet and sleep for a couple of
hours; I have sent for Dr. Poulain, and I will come up with him. . . .
Take a drink and be good--"
"Then was there no one in the room just now, when I waked? . . ."
"No one," said she. "You must have seen M. Remonencq in one of your
looking-glasses."
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