| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Trooper Peter Halket of Mashonaland by Olive Schreiner: something except weevily mealies"; he said, and fell to plucking it.
The Englishman took his hat off, and lifted the fine damp hair from his
forehead.
"Knocked up, eh?" said the Colonial, glancing kindly up at him. 'I've a
few drops in my flask still."
"Oh, no, I can stand it well enough. It's only a little warm." He gave a
slight cough, and laid his head down sideways on his arm. His eyes watched
mechanically the Colonial's manipulation of the bird. He had left England
to escape phthisis; and he had gone to Mashonaland because it was a place
where he could earn an open-air living, and save his parents from the
burden of his support.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from My Aunt Margaret's Mirror by Walter Scott: narrowness of the street will permit. Fear not for your sister,
but give her, when you return home, this composing draught, and
she will be better to-morrow morning. Few," he added in a
melancholy tone, "leave this house as well in health as they
entered it. Such being the consequence of seeking knowledge by
mysterious means, I leave you to judge the condition of those who
have the power of gratifying such irregular curiosity. Farewell,
and forget not the potion."
"I will give her nothing that comes from you," said Lady
Bothwell; "I have seen enough of your art already. Perhaps you
would poison us both to conceal your own necromancy. But we are
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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 Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini: mistrusted Richard. He had known him for a fool, a weakling, a babbler,
and a bibber of wine. Out of such elements a villain is soon compounded,
and Trenchard had cause to fear the form of villainy that lay ready to
Richard's hand. For it chanced that Mr. Trenchard was second cousin to
that famous John Trenchard, so lately tried for treason and acquitted to
the great joy of the sectaries of the West, and still more lately - but
yesterday, in fact - fled the country to escape the rearrest ordered in
consequence of that excessive joy. Like his more famous cousin, Nick
Trenchard was one of the Duke of Monmouth's most active agents; and
Westmacott, like Wilding, Vallancey, and one or two others at that
board, stood, too, committed to the cause of the Protestant Champion.
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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 Thus Spake Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche: great contempt crieth out of him--,
Passion for power: the terrible teacher of great contempt, which preacheth
to their face to cities and empires: "Away with thee!"--until a voice
crieth out of themselves: "Away with ME!"
Passion for power: which, however, mounteth alluringly even to the pure
and lonesome, and up to self-satisfied elevations, glowing like a love that
painteth purple felicities alluringly on earthly heavens.
Passion for power: but who would call it PASSION, when the height longeth
to stoop for power! Verily, nothing sick or diseased is there in such
longing and descending!
That the lonesome height may not for ever remain lonesome and self-
Thus Spake Zarathustra |
