| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Four Arthurian Romances by Chretien DeTroyes: thy body and thy head as well as possible. But, if I conquer
thee again, know that thou shalt surely die." And he replies: "I
desire nothing better than that, and ask for no further favour."
"And I will give thee this advantage," he adds: "I will fight
thee as I stand, without changing my present position." Then the
other knight makes ready, and they begin the fight again eagerly.
But this time the knight triumphed more quickly than he had done
at first. And the damsel at once cries out: "Do not spare him,
knight, for anything he may say to thee. Surely he would not
have spared thee, had he once defeated thee. If thou heedest
what he says, be sure that he will again beguile thee. Fair
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Essays of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson: there a spacious outlook over moonlit woods, these two precede us and
sound many a jolly flourish as they walk. We gather ferns and dry
boughs into the cavern, and soon a good blaze flutters the shadows of
the old bandits' haunt, and shows shapely beards and comely faces and
toilettes ranged about the wall. The bowl is lit, and the punch is
burnt and sent round in scalding thimblefuls. So a good hour or two
may pass with song and jest. And then we go home in the moonlit
morning, straggling a good deal among the birch tufts and the
boulders, but ever called together again, as one of our leaders winds
his horn. Perhaps some one of the party will not heed the summons,
but chooses out some by-way of his own. As he follows the winding
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Essays of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson: little above, the church sits well back on its haunches against the
hillside - an attitude for a church, you know, that makes it look as
if it could be ever so much higher if it liked; and the trees grew
about it thickly, so as to make a density of shade in the churchyard.
A very quiet place it looks; and yet I saw many boards and posters
about threatening dire punishment against those who broke the church
windows or defaced the precinct, and offering rewards for the
apprehension of those who had done the like already. It was fair day
in Great Missenden. There were three stalls set up, SUB JOVE, for
the sale of pastry and cheap toys; and a great number of holiday
children thronged about the stalls and noisily invaded every corner
|
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 Desert Gold by Zane Grey: except sleep. That was Ladd's most inflexible command. He gave
no reason. But not improbably the ranger thought that the terrific
heat of the day spend in slumber lessened a wear and strain, if
not a real danger of madness.
Accordingly, at first the occupations of this little group were
many and various. They worked if they had something to do, or
could invent a pretext. They told and retold stories until all
were wearisome. They sang songs. Mercedes taught Spanish. They
played every game they knew. They invented others that were so
trivial children would scarcely have been interested, and these
they played seriously. In a word, with intelligence and passion,
Desert Gold |
