| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from King James Bible: but there is no judgment.
JOB 19:8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set
darkness in my paths.
JOB 19:9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my
head.
JOB 19:10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine
hope hath he removed like a tree.
JOB 19:11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me
unto him as one of his enemies.
JOB 19:12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me,
and encamp round about my tabernacle.
King James Bible |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Hated Son by Honore de Balzac: without passion. The line of the nose might have seemed cold, like a
steel blade, without two rosy nostrils, the movements of which were
out of keeping with the chastity of that dreamy brow, often perplexed,
sometimes smiling, but always of an august serenity. An alert little
ear attracted the eye, peeping beneath the coif and between two curls,
and showing a ruby ear-drop, the color of which stood vigorously out
on the milky whiteness of the neck. This was neither Norman beauty,
where flesh abounds, nor French beauty, as fugitive as its own
expressions, nor the beauty of the North, cold and melancholy as the
North itself--it was the deep seraphic beauty of the Catholic Church,
supple and rigid, severe but tender.
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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 Nada the Lily by H. Rider Haggard: not elsewhere in the world, and they seemed afire, for the sunset beat
upon them, and the wolves crept round their feet, red with blood and
fire.
"A glorious pair!" quoth great Faku; "would that I fought with them
rather than against them! Yet, they must die!" Then he began to climb
to the knees of the Witch.
Now Umslopogaas glanced up at the stone face of her who sat aloft, and
it was alight with the sunset.
"Said I not that the old Witch should smile at this fray?" he cried.
"Lo! she smiles! Up, Galazi, let us spend the remnant of our people on
the foe, and fight this fight out, man to man, with no beast to spoil
Nada the Lily |
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 Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce: "Black friars in this world, fried black in the next."
"The Devil on Earth" (London, 1712)
BENEFACTOR, n. One who makes heavy purchases of ingratitude, without,
however, materially affecting the price, which is still within the
means of all.
BERENICE'S HAIR, n. A constellation (_Coma Berenices_) named in honor
of one who sacrificed her hair to save her husband.
Her locks an ancient lady gave
Her loving husband's life to save;
And men -- they honored so the dame --
Upon some stars bestowed her name.
The Devil's Dictionary |
