| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: life, bade me get into his chariot, and took me weeping to his
own home. Many made at me with their ashen spears and tried to
kill me in their fury, but the king protected me, for he feared
the wrath of Jove the protector of strangers, who punishes those
who do evil.
"I stayed there for seven years and got together much money
among the Egyptians, for they all gave me something; but when it
was now going on for eight years there came a certain
Phoenician, a cunning rascal, who had already committed all
sorts of villainy, and this man talked me over into going with
him to Phoenicia, where his house and his possessions lay. I
The Odyssey |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Poems of Goethe, Bowring, Tr. by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: Music with angel-pinions hovers there,
To pierce man's being to its inmost core,
Eternal beauty has its fruit to bear;
The eye grows moist, in yearnings blest reveres
The godlike worth of music as of tears.
And so the lighten'd heart soon learns to see
That it still lives, and beats, and ought to beat,
Off'ring itself with joy and willingly,
In grateful payment for a gift so sweet.
And then was felt,--oh may it constant prove!--
The twofold bliss of music and of love.
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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 Court Life in China by Isaac Taylor Headland: large, comfortable, leather-covered easy chairs of foreign make.
Clocks sat upon the tables and window-sills, and fine Swiss
watches hung on the walls. Beautiful jade and other rich Chinese
ornaments were arranged in a tasteful way about the room. On the
wall hung a picture painted by the Empress Dowager, a gift to the
Prince on his birthday.
After a moment's waiting the Princess appeared attended by her
women and slave girls.
"I beg your pardon for not having my hair properly dressed," she
said, as she took my hands in hers, the custom of these Manchu
princesses and even the Empress Dowager herself, in greeting
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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 School For Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan: certainly--hey--what!--this is not Sir Oliver--but old Stanley
again!--Plague on't that He should return to teaze me just now--
I shall have Sir Oliver come and find him here--and----
Enter SIR OLIVER
Gad's life, Mr. Stanley--why have you come back to plague me
at this time? you must not stay now upon my word!
SIR OLIVER. Sir--I hear your Unkle Oliver is expected here--
and tho' He has been so penurious to you, I'll try what He'll
do for me--
SURFACE. Sir! 'tis impossible for you to stay now--so I must
beg----come any other time and I promise you you shall be assisted.
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