| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Ballads by Robert Louis Stevenson: SWEETER NOW IN MY HOUSE I HEAR THE TRADE-WIND CRY.
These were the words of his singing, other the thought of his heart;
For secret desire of glory vexed him, dwelling apart.
Lazy and crafty he was, and loved to lie in the sun,
And loved the cackle of talk and the true word uttered in fun;
Lazy he was, his roof was ragged, his table was lean,
And the fish swam safe in his sea, and he gathered the near and the green.
He sat in his house and laughed, but he loathed the king of the land,
And he uttered the grudging word under the covering hand.
Treason spread from his door; and he looked for a day to come,
A day of the crowding people, a day of the summoning drum,
Ballads |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin: adapting the various forms of life to their several conditions and
stations, must be judged of by the general tenour and balance of evidence
given in the following chapters. But we already see how it entails
extinction; and how largely extinction has acted in the world's history,
geology plainly declares. Natural selection, also, leads to divergence of
character; for more living beings can be supported on the same area the
more they diverge in structure, habits, and constitution, of which we see
proof by looking at the inhabitants of any small spot or at naturalised
productions. Therefore during the modification of the descendants of any
one species, and during the incessant struggle of all species to increase
in numbers, the more diversified these descendants become, the better will
On the Origin of Species |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie: shock to the nervous system. Loss of memory proceeds nearly
always on the same lines. I suggested a specialist, of course.
There's a very good man in Paris--makes a study of these
cases--but Mrs. Vandemeyer opposed the idea of publicity that
might result from such a course."
"I can imagine she would," said Sir James grimly.
"I fell in with her views. There is a certain notoriety given to
these cases. And the girl was very young--nineteen, I believe.
It seemed a pity that her infirmity should be talked about--might
damage her prospects. Besides, there is no special treatment to
pursue in such cases. It is really a matter of waiting."
Secret Adversary |
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 Dracula by Bram Stoker: die by any hand, but least of all your own. Until the other,
who has fouled your sweet life, is true dead you must not die.
For if he is still with the quick Undead, your death would
make you even as he is. No, you must live! You must struggle
and strive to live, though death would seem a boon unspeakable.
You must fight Death himself, though he come to you in pain
or in joy. By the day, or the night, in safety or in peril!
On your living soul I charge you that you do not die.
Nay, nor think of death, till this great evil be past."
The poor dear grew white as death, and shook and shivered,
as I have seen a quicksand shake and shiver at the incoming
Dracula |
