| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Woman and Labour by Olive Schreiner: sympathies; in certain ages, being freer and more widely cultured, they
have led further and better. The fact that woman has no inherent all-round
moral superiority over her male companion, or naturally on all points any
higher social instinct, is perhaps most clearly exemplified by one curious
very small fact: the two terms signifying intimate human relationships
which in almost all human languages bear the most sinister and antisocial
significance are both terms which have as their root the term "mother," and
denote feminine relationships--the words "mother-in-law" and step-mother."
In general humanity, in the sense of social solidarity, and in magnanimity,
the male has continually proved himself at least the equal of the female.
Nor will women shrink from war because they lack courage. Earth's women of
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare: I must go seeke some dew drops heere,
And hang a pearle in euery cowslips eare.
Farewell thou Lob of spirits, Ile be gon,
Our Queene and all her Elues come heere anon
Rob. The King doth keepe his Reuels here to night,
Take heed the Queene come not within his sight,
For Oberon is passing fell and wrath,
Because that she, as her attendant, hath
A louely boy stolne from an Indian King,
She neuer had so sweet a changeling,
And iealous Oberon would haue the childe
A Midsummer Night's Dream |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: omnibus eorum agris, vicis aedificiisque incensis, Caesar exercitum
reduxit et in Aulercis Lexoviisque, reliquis item civitatibus quae proxime
bellum fecerant, in hibernis conlocavit.
C. IULI CAESARIS
DE BELLO GALLICO
COMMENTARIUS QUARTUS
EA quae secuta est hieme, qui fuit annus Cn. Pompeio, M. Crasso
consulibus, Usipetes Germani et item Tencteri magna [cum] multitudine
hominum flumen Rhenum transierunt, non longe a mari, quo Rhenus influit.
Causa transeundi fuit quod ab Suebis complures annos exagitati bello
|
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 Baby Mine by Margaret Mayo: to be so easily disposed of.
"If you please, mum," she objected, "it ain't about the wash.
It's about our baby girls."
"Girls?" exclaimed Zoie involuntarily.
"Girls?" repeated Alfred, drawing himself up in the fond
conviction that all his heirs were boys, "No wonder your pa's
angry. I'd be angry too. Come now," he said to Maggie, patting
the child on the shoulder and regarding her indulgently, "you go
straight home and tell your father that what HE needs is BOYS."
"Well, of course, sir," answered the bewildered Maggie, thinking
that Alfred meant to reflect upon the gender of the offspring
|
