| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Riverman by Stewart Edward White: loose water from his boots.
"It's all off," confided the cook pessimistically. "It's no good.
He's stopped us now."
"What's off? Who's stopped what?"
"Reed. He's druv the men from the dam with a shotgun. We might as
well quit."
"Shotgun, hey!" exclaimed Orde. "Well, the old son of a gun!" He
thought a moment, his lips puckered as though to whistle; then, as
usual, he laughed amusedly. "Let's go take a look at the army,"
said he.
He swung away at a round pace, followed rather breathlessly by the
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Dracula by Bram Stoker: It was better to die like a man. To die like a sailor in blue water,
no man can object. But I am captain, and I must not leave my ship.
But I shall baffle this fiend or monster, for I shall tie my
hands to the wheel when my strength begins to fail, and along
with them I shall tie that which He, It, dare not touch.
And then, come good wind or foul, I shall save my soul, and my honour
as a captain. I am growing weaker, and the night is coming on.
If He can look me in the face again, I may not have time to act.
. . If we are wrecked, mayhap this bottle may be found,
and those who find it may understand. If not. . .well,
then all men shall know that I have been true to my trust.
Dracula |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson: 'Well - and I believe the fellow will be faithful,' said Romaine.
'So you are a friend of Mr. Anne's' too?' he added to Rowley.
'If you please, sir,' said Rowley.
''Tis something sudden,' observed Romaine; 'but it may be genuine
enough. I believe him to be honest. He comes of honest people.
Well, George Rowley, you might embrace some early opportunity to
earn that half-guinea, by telling Mr. Powl that your master will
not leave here till noon to-morrow, if he go even then. Tell him
there are a hundred things to be done here, and a hundred more that
can only be done properly at my office in Holborn. Come to think
of it - we had better see to that first of all,' he went on,
|
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 Works of Samuel Johnson by Samuel Johnson: therefore every mind ought finally to rest. Hope is
the chief blessing of man, and that hope only is
rational, of which we are certain that it cannot
deceive us.
No. 204. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1752
Nemo tam divos habuit favintis,
Crastinum ut possit sibi polliceri. SENECA.
Of heaven's protection who can be
So confident to utter this?--
To-morrow I will spend in bliss. F. LEWIS.
SEGED, lord of Ethiopia, to the inhabitants of
|
