| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare: A Sin-Absoluer, and my Friend profest:
To mangle me with that word, banished?
Fri. Then fond Mad man, heare me speake
Rom. O thou wilt speake againe of banishment
Fri. Ile giue thee Armour to keepe off that word,
Aduersities sweete milke, Philosophie,
To comfort thee, though thou art banished
Rom. Yet banished? hang vp Philosophie:
Vnlesse Philosophie can make a Iuliet,
Displant a Towne, reuerse a Princes Doome,
It helpes not, it preuailes not, talke no more
Romeo and Juliet |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Octopus by Frank Norris: ain't you?"
Minna, glad to find a sympathiser, even in this chance
acquaintance, admitted that she was in distress; that she had
become separated from her mother, and that she was indeed from
the country.
"I've been trying to find a situation," she hazarded in
conclusion, "but I don't seem to succeed. I've never been in a
city before, except Bonneville."
"Well, it IS a coincidence," said the other. "I know I wasn't
drawn to you for nothing. I am looking for just such a young
girl as you. You see, I live alone a good deal and I've been
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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 The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by H. P. Lovecraft: amidst the wind and chaos of flight. Mindless though night-gaunts
are said to be, the effect was instantaneous; for all tickling
stopped at once, and the creatures hastened to shift their captive
to a more comfortable position. Thus encouraged Carter ventured
some explanations; telling of the seizure and torture of three
ghouls by the moonbeasts, and of the need of assembling a party
to rescue them. The night-gaunts, though inarticulate, seemed
to understand what was said; and shewed greater haste and purpose
in their flight. Suddenly the dense blackness gave place to the
grey twilight of inner earth, and there opened up ahead one of
those flat sterile plains on which ghouls love to squat and gnaw.
The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath |
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 Walden by Henry David Thoreau: there, and want to be nearer to folks, rainy and snowy days and
nights especially." I am tempted to reply to such -- This whole
earth which we inhabit is but a point in space. How far apart,
think you, dwell the two most distant inhabitants of yonder star,
the breadth of whose disk cannot be appreciated by our instruments?
Why should I feel lonely? is not our planet in the Milky Way? This
which you put seems to me not to be the most important question.
What sort of space is that which separates a man from his fellows
and makes him solitary? I have found that no exertion of the legs
can bring two minds much nearer to one another. What do we want
most to dwell near to? Not to many men surely, the depot, the
Walden |
