| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from On Horsemanship by Xenophon: same time be able to use his weapons with effect on horseback, nothing
could be better, where the country suits and there are wild animals,
than to practise horsemanship in combination with the chase. But when
these resources fail, a good exercise may be supplied in the combined
efforts of two horsemen.[9] One of them will play the part of
fugitive, retreating helter-skelter over every sort of ground, with
lance reversed and plying the butt end. The other pursues, with
buttons on his javelins and his lance similarly handled.[10] Whenever
he comes within javelin range he lets fly at the retreating foeman
with his blunted missiles; or whenever within spear thrust he deals
the overtaken combatant a blow. In coming to close quarters, it is a
On Horsemanship |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll: `Speak, won't you!' cried the King. 'How are they getting on
with the fight?'
Hatta made a desperate effort, and swallowed a large piece of
bread-and-butter. `They're getting on very well,' he said in a
choking voice: `each of them has been down about eighty-seven
times.'
`Then I suppose they'll soon bring the white bread and the
brown?' Alice ventured to remark.
`It's waiting for 'em now,' said Hatta: `this is a bit of it
as I'm eating.'
There was a pause in the fight just then, and the Lion and the
Through the Looking-Glass |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Ebb-Tide by Stevenson & Osbourne: world again as a clerk in a strange office, and Robert relinquish
his ambitions and accept with gratitude a career that he detested
and despised. He had no head for figures, no interest in affairs,
detested the constraint of hours, and despised the aims and the
success of merchants. To grow rich was none of his ambitions;
rather to do well. A worse or a more bold young man would
have refused the destiny; perhaps tried his future with his pen;
perhaps enlisted. Robert, more prudent, possibly more timid,
consented to embrace that way of life in which he could most
readily assist his family. But he did so with a mind divided;
fled the neighbourhood of former comrades; and chose, out of
|
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 Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad: holland probably, but it was covered with patches all over,
with bright patches, blue, red, and yellow--patches on the back,
patches on the front, patches on elbows, on knees; coloured binding
around his jacket, scarlet edging at the bottom of his trousers;
and the sunshine made him look extremely gay and wonderfully
neat withal, because you could see how beautifully all this
patching had been done. A beardless, boyish face, very fair,
no features to speak of, nose peeling, little blue eyes,
smiles and frowns chasing each other over that open
countenance like sunshine and shadow on a wind-swept plain.
`Look out, captain!' he cried; `there's a snag lodged in here
Heart of Darkness |
