| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Rig Veda: On the stream's loud-resounding bank.
8 Entreated by Vivasvan's ten, Indra cast down the water-jar
With threefold hammer from the sky.
9 Three times the newIy-kindled flame proceeds around the sacrifice:
The priests anoint it with the meath.
10 With reverence they drain the fount that circles with its
wheel
above,
Exhaustless, with the mouth below.
11 The pressing-stones are set at work: the meath is poured
into the
The Rig Veda |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Turn of the Screw by Henry James: To see her, without a convulsion of her small pink face, not even
feign to glance in the direction of the prodigy I announced,
but only, instead of that, turn at ME an expression of hard,
still gravity, an expression absolutely new and unprecedented
and that appeared to read and accuse and judge me--
this was a stroke that somehow converted the little girl
herself into the very presence that could make me quail.
I quailed even though my certitude that she thoroughly saw
was never greater than at that instant, and in the immediate
need to defend myself I called it passionately to witness.
"She's there, you little unhappy thing--there, there, THERE,
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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 A Prince of Bohemia by Honore de Balzac: It was on this wise."
The Marquise, too thoughtful now for laughter, bade Nathan "Go on," in
a tone that told him plainly how deeply she had been impressed by
these strange things, and even more plainly how much she was
interested in La Palferine.
"In 1829, one of the most influential, steady, and clever of dramatic
writers was du Bruel. His real name is unknown to the public, on the
play-bills he is de Cursy. Under the Restoration he had a place in the
Civil Service; and being really attached to the elder branch, he sent
in his resignation bravely in 1830, and ever since has written twice
as many plays to fill the deficit in his budget made by his noble
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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 Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini: amounting almost to anguish in her mind. Yet though she might suffer,
there was no weakness in Ruth's nature. She knew how to endure. Diana,
bearing Richard not a tenth of the affection his sister consecrated to
him, was alarmed for him. Besides, her own interests urged the averting
of this encounter. And so she held in accents almost tearful that
something must be done to save him.
This, too, appeared to be Richard's own view, when presently - within
a few minutes of Blake's departure - he came to join them. They watched
his approach in silence, and both noted - though with different eyes and
different feelings - the pallor of his fair face, the dark lines under
his colourless eyes. His condition was abject, and his manners, never of
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