| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: your hand upon him, for he is man enough to pay a yard of
leathern scourge with a foot of tempered steel."
"A most improper vaunt," said Sir Dugald; "but I owe you some
favours, Ranald, and therefore shall let it pass."
"And if you think you owe me anything," said the outlaw, "it is
in your power to requite me by granting me a boon."
"Friend Ranald," answered Dalgetty, "I have read of these boons
in silly story-books, whereby simple knights were drawn into
engagements to their great prejudice; wherefore, Ranald, the more
prudent knights of this day never promise anything until they
know that they may keep their word anent the premises, without
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James: study, such states of consciousness ought to form the vital
chapter from which the other chapters get their light. Whether
my treatment of mystical states will shed more light or darkness,
I do not know, for my own constitution shuts me out from their
enjoyment almost entirely, and I can speak of them only at second
hand. But though forced to look upon the subject so externally,
I will be as objective and receptive as I can; and I think I
shall at least succeed in convincing you of the reality of the
states in question, and of the paramount importance of their
function.
First of all, then, I ask, What does the expression "mystical
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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 Phantasmagoria and Other Poems by Lewis Carroll: Thou, a scared dullard, gibbering low,
AND SHE, AN AVALANCHE OF WOE!"
TEMA CON VARIAZIONI
[WHY is it that Poetry has never yet been subjected to that process
of Dilution which has proved so advantageous to her sister-art
Music? The Diluter gives us first a few notes of some well-known
Air, then a dozen bars of his own, then a few more notes of the
Air, and so on alternately: thus saving the listener, if not from
all risk of recognising the melody at all, at least from the too-
exciting transports which it might produce in a more concentrated
form. The process is termed "setting" by Composers, and any one,
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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 Laches by Plato: about the gymnastic training of your son, would you follow the advice of
the majority of us, or the opinion of the one who had been trained and
exercised under a skilful master?
MELESIAS: The latter, Socrates; as would surely be reasonable.
SOCRATES: His one vote would be worth more than the vote of all us four?
MELESIAS: Certainly.
SOCRATES: And for this reason, as I imagine,--because a good decision is
based on knowledge and not on numbers?
MELESIAS: To be sure.
SOCRATES: Must we not then first of all ask, whether there is any one of
us who has knowledge of that about which we are deliberating? If there is,
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