| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Hellenica by Xenophon: off the roof, and began striking them down with the tiles. They,
recognising that there was no choice, called upon their assailants to
desist, and undertook to come forth. Then their opponents, capturing
them like birds in a fowler's hand, bound them with chains, threw them
on to the prisoner's van,[11] and led them off to Tegea. Here with the
Mantineans they sentenced and put them to death.
[10] Pallantium, one of the most ancient towns of Arcadia, in the
Maenalia (Paus. VIII. xliv. 5; Livy, i. 5), situated somewhat
south of the modern Tripolitza (see "Dict. of Anc. Geog."); like
Asea and Eutaea it helped to found Megalopolis (Paus. VIII. xxvii.
3, where for {'Iasaia} read {'Asea}); below, VII. v. 5; Busolt,
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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 Sportsman by Xenophon: [17] {emelemenen} = neglige, plain, unpretentious.
[18] Pollux, v. 18.
[19] Al. "intent on the working of the pack."
[20] "To thee thy share of this chase, Lord Apollo; and thine to thee,
O Huntress Queen!"
[21] Or, "carries a line straight away from the many that interlace."
[22] Or, "without forcing the pace."
Meanwhile the hounds are busily at work; onwards they press with eager
spirit, disentangling the line, double or treble, as the case may
be.[23] To and fro they weave a curious web,[24] now across, now
parallel with the line,[25] whose threads are interlaced, here
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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 Allan Quatermain by H. Rider Haggard: hand she held a dagger. Behind that figure crept another unseen
by the woman. It was Bougwan following in her tracks. His shoes
were off, and for so fat a man he followed very well. The woman
passed me, and the starlight shone upon her face.'
'Who was it?' I asked impatiently.
'The face was the face of the "Lady of the Night", and of a truth
she is well named.
'I waited, and Bougwan passed me also. Then I followed.
So we went slowly and without a sound up the long chamber.
First the woman, then Bougwan, and then I; and the woman saw
not Bougwan, and Bougwan saw not me. At last the "Lady of the
Allan Quatermain |
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 Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas: avails himself with judgment and discretion and patience of
the sun's heat; the clear water, the juices of the earth,
and the cool breezes. But this is not a treatise upon tulips
in general; it is the story of one particular tulip which we
have undertaken to write, and to that we limit ourselves,
however alluring the subject which is so closely allied to
ours.
Boxtel, once more worsted by the superiority of his hated
rival, was now completely disgusted with tulip-growing, and,
being driven half mad, devoted himself entirely to
observation.
The Black Tulip |
