| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Oscar Wilde Miscellaneous by Oscar Wilde: wear long beards and brown cloaks have no gods to worship. They
wrangle with each other in the porticoes. The [ ] laugh at them.
FIRST MAN. We worship seven gods. We may not tell their names. It
is a very dangerous thing to tell the names of the gods. No one
should ever tell the name of his god. Even the priests who praise
the gods all day long, and eat of their food with them, do not call
them by their right names.
MYRRHINA. Where are these gods ye worship?
FIRST MAN. We hide them in the folds of our tunics. We do not show
them to any one. If we showed them to any one they might leave us.
MYRRHINA. Where did ye meet with them?
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Arizona Nights by Stewart Edward White: gone before I could think of them or how they were to be dodged.
Two antelope bounded away to the left; birds rose hastily from
the grasses. A sudden chirk, chirk, chirk, rose all about me.
We were in the very centre of a prairie-dog town, but before I
could formulate in my mind the probabilities of holes and broken
legs, the chirk, chirk, chirking had fallen astern. Brown Jug
had skipped and dodged successfully.
We were approaching the cattle. They ran stubbornly and well,
evidently unwilling to be turned until the latest possible
moment. A great rage at their obstinacy took possession of us
both. A broad shallow wash crossed our way, but we plunged
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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 Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare: For I am prouerb'd with a Grandsier Phrase,
Ile be a Candle-holder and looke on,
The game was nere so faire, and I am done
Mer. Tut, duns the Mouse, the Constables owne word,
If thou art dun, weele draw thee from the mire.
Or saue your reuerence loue, wherein thou stickest
Vp to the eares, come we burne day-light ho
Rom. Nay that's not so
Mer. I meane sir I delay,
We wast our lights in vaine, lights, lights, by day;
Take our good meaning, for our Iudgement sits
Romeo and Juliet |
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 The Outlaw of Torn by Edgar Rice Burroughs: self that Norman of Torn was most courteous to thee
when he sacked this, thy father's castle. How be it
thou so soon has changed thy mind?"
"Yes, Bertrade, he was indeed respectful then, but
who knows what horrid freak his mind may take, and
they do say that he be cruel beyond compare. Again,
forget not that thou be Leicester's daughter and Henry's
niece; against both of whom the Outlaw of Torn open-
ly swears his hatred and his vengeance. Oh, Bertrade,
wait but for a day or so, I be sure my father must
return ere then, and fifty knights shall accompany thee
The Outlaw of Torn |
