| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from 'Twixt Land & Sea by Joseph Conrad: dingy thin wrapper was slipping a little.
"Oh - never mind - never mind!"
There was something smouldering under those airs of lassitude. She
exasperated me by the provocation of her nonchalance, by something
elusive and defiant in her very form which I wanted to seize. I
said roughly:
"Why? Don't you think I should tell you the truth?"
Her eyes glided my way for a sidelong look, and she murmured,
moving only her full, pouting lips:
"I think you would not dare."
"Do you imagine I am afraid of you? What on earth. . . . Well,
'Twixt Land & Sea |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Eryxias by Platonic Imitator: as they think, come to years of discretion, urge them to consider how
wealth may be acquired, since by riches the value of a man is judged):--
When, I say, we are thus in earnest, and you, who agree in other respects,
fall to disputing about a matter of such moment, that is, about wealth, and
not merely whether it is black or white, light or heavy, but whether it is
a good or an evil, whereby, although you are now the dearest of friends and
kinsmen, the most bitter hatred may arise betwixt you, I must hinder your
dissension to the best of my power. If I could, I would tell you the
truth, and so put an end to the dispute; but as I cannot do this, and each
of you supposes that you can bring the other to an agreement, I am
prepared, as far as my capacity admits, to help you in solving the
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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 The Vision Splendid by William MacLeod Raine: day when he could get away from the thought of her. The uneasy
consciousness was with him that the issue was after all only
postponed, that decisions of this kind must be made again and
again so long as opportunity and desire go together. And there
were moments of reaction when his will was like a rope of sand,
when the longing for her swept over him like a great wave.
As Jeff slipped quietly into the hall the door of her room opened.
Their eyes met, and presently hers fell. She was troubled and
ashamed at what she had done, but plainly eager in her innocence
to be forgiven.
Jeff spoke gently. "Nellie."
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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 Brother of Daphne by Dornford Yates: "They can't see, though."
"No. Born blind. That's why they hear so well. And they never
forget. These four"- with a sweep of my cigarette- "have long
memories of things, some sweet, some stern, some full of tears,
and some again so mirthful that they split their panelled sides
with merriment whenever they call them to mind."
"And here's another to rnake them smile."
"Smile? Yes. Wise, whimsical, fatherly smiles, especially wise.
They think we're lovers, remember."
"I forgot. Well, the sooner they find out their mis- "
"Hush!" said I. "Walls love lovers. Have pity and don't
The Brother of Daphne |
