| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from King James Bible: HOS 5:2 And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have
been a rebuker of them all.
HOS 5:3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O
Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.
HOS 5:4 They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for
the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known
the LORD.
HOS 5:5 And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore
shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity: Judah also shall fall
with them.
HOS 5:6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek
King James Bible |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from New Arabian Nights by Robert Louis Stevenson: the best, and he had a lukewarm satisfaction in the presence of
Lady Vandeleur, which, in his own heart, he dubbed by a more
emphatic name.
Immediately after he had been outraged by the military foot, he
hurried to the boudoir and recounted his sorrows.
"You know very well, my dear Harry," replied Lady Vandeleur, for
she called him by name like a child or a domestic servant, "that
you never by any chance do what the General tells you. No more do
I, you may say. But that is different. A woman can earn her
pardon for a good year of disobedience by a single adroit
submission; and, besides, no one is married to his private
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Puck of Pook's Hill by Rudyard Kipling: from his satchel, and trimmed it with a little ivory knife,
carved in the semblance of a fish.
'Oh, what a beauty!' cried Dan.
''Ware fingers! That blade is perilous sharp. I made it
myself of the best Low Country cross-bow steel. And so,
too, this fish. When his back-fin travels to his tail - so - he
swallows up the blade, even as the whale swallowed
Gaffer Jonah ... Yes, and that's my inkhorn. I made the
four silver saints round it. Press Barnabas's head. It
opens, and then -'He dipped the trimmed pen, and with
careful boldness began to put in the essential lines of
|
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 Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini: "How?" quoth Binet, frowning, and slowly withdrawing the hand which
the other had already retained rather longer than was necessary.
"Thus," Andre-Louis explained himself. "You may set me down as a
sort of knight of rueful countenance in quest of adventure, with no
fixed purpose in life at present. You will not marvel that what I
have seen of yourself and your distinguished troupe should inspire
me to desire your better acquaintance. On your side you tell me
that you are in need of some one to replace your Figaro - your
Felicien, I think you called him. Whilst it may be presumptuous of
me to hope that I could discharge an office so varied and so
onerous... "
|
