| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from McTeague by Frank Norris: audience, and the names of prominent men were shouted to him
from the gallery. He drew portraits of the President, of
Grant, of Washington, of Napoleon Bonaparte, of Bismarck, of
Garibaldi, of P. T. Barnum.
And so the evening passed. The hall grew very hot, and the
smoke of innumerable cigars made the eyes smart. A thick
blue mist hung low over the heads of the audience. The air
was full of varied smells--the smell of stale cigars, of
flat beer, of orange peel, of gas, of sachet powders, and of
cheap perfumery.
One "artist" after another came upon the stage. McTeague's
McTeague |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson: among the rest, mine host."
"Good knight," said the host, "I will swear upon the cross of
Holywood I did but pay to Walsingham upon compulsion. Nay, bully
knight, I love not the rogue Walsinghams; they were as poor as
thieves, bully knight. Give me a great lord like you. Nay; ask me
among the neighbours, I am stout for Brackley."
"It may be," said Sir Daniel, dryly. "Ye shall then pay twice."
The innkeeper made a horrid grimace; but this was a piece of bad
luck that might readily befall a tenant in these unruly times, and
he was perhaps glad to make his peace so easily.
"Bring up yon fellow, Selden!" cried the knight.
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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 Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: flowed freely.
"Child!" said she. "But there is still hope. My husband is--"
"Eighty?" Rodolphe put in.
"No," said she with a smile, "but sixty-five. He has disguised himself
as much older to mislead the police."
"Dearest," said Rodolphe, "a few more shocks of this kind and I shall
die. Only when you have known me twenty years will you understand the
strength and power of my heart, and the nature of its aspirations for
happiness. This plant," he went on, pointing to the yellow jasmine
which covered the balustrade, "does not climb more eagerly to spread
itself in the sunbeams than I have clung to you for this month past. I
Albert Savarus |
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 Soul of Man by Oscar Wilde: of the lives that are marred by imitation. Father Damien was
Christlike when he went out to live with the lepers, because in
such service he realised fully what was best in him. But he was
not more Christlike than Wagner when he realised his soul in music;
or than Shelley, when he realised his soul in song. There is no
one type for man. There are as many perfections as there are
imperfect men. And while to the claims of charity a man may yield
and yet be free, to the claims of conformity no man may yield and
remain free at all.
Individualism, then, is what through Socialism we are to attain to.
As a natural result the State must give up all idea of government.
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