| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tales of Unrest by Joseph Conrad: by an underlying rumour--a rumour vast, faint, pulsating, as of
panting breaths, of beating hearts, of gasping voices. Innumerable
eyes stared straight in front, feet moved hurriedly, blank faces
flowed, arms swung. Over all, a narrow ragged strip of smoky sky wound
about between the high roofs, extended and motionless, like a soiled
streamer flying above the rout of a mob.
"Ye-e-e-s," said Jackson, meditatively.
The big wheels of hansoms turned slowly along the edge of side-walks;
a pale-faced youth strolled, overcome by weariness, by the side of his
stick and with the tails of his overcoat flapping gently near his
heels; horses stepped gingerly on the greasy pavement, tossing their
Tales of Unrest |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad: And we were staggering within ten feet of the bank.
I had to lean right out to swing the heavy shutter, and I
saw a face amongst the leaves on the level with my own,
looking at me very fierce and steady; and then suddenly,
as though a veil had been removed from my eyes, I made out,
deep in the tangled gloom, naked breasts, arms, legs, glaring eyes--
the bush was swarming with human limbs in movement, glistening.
of bronze colour. The twigs shook, swayed, and rustled,
the arrows flew out of them, and then the shutter came to.
`Steer her straight,' I said to the helmsman. He held his
head rigid, face forward; but his eyes rolled, he kept on lifting
Heart of Darkness |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Elixir of Life by Honore de Balzac: Belvidero. He went to see the Pope as pontiff, to be convinced of
any doubts that he (Don Juan) entertained. Over his cups the
Rovere would have been capable of denying his own infallibility
and of commenting on the Apocalypse.
Nevertheless, this legend has not been undertaken to furnish
materials for future biographies of Don Juan; it is intended to
prove to honest folk that Belvidero did not die in a duel with
stone, as some lithographers would have us believe.
When Don Juan Belvidero reached the age of sixty he settled in
Spain, and there in his old age he married a young and charming
Andalusian wife. But of set purpose he was neither a good husband
|
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 Chance by Joseph Conrad: "What is it you are concealing from me?" A straight question--eh?
I don't know what answer the captain would have made. Before he
could even raise his eyes to her she cried out "Ah! Here's papa" in
a sharp tone of relief, but directly afterwards she looked to me as
if she were holding her breath with apprehension. I was so
interested in her that, how shall I say it, her exclamation made no
connection in my brain at first. I also noticed that she had sidled
up a little nearer to Captain Anthony, before it occurred to me to
turn my head. I can tell you my neck stiffened in the twisted
position from the shock of actually seeing that old man! He had
dared! I suppose you think I ought to have looked upon him as mad.
Chance |
