| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from La Grenadiere by Honore de Balzac: in bed, he stole down and out to the summer-house where his mother was
sitting.
"Louis! come here."
The words were spoken in tones delicious to his heart. The boy sprang
to his mother's arms, and the two held each other in an almost
convulsive embrace.
"Cherie," he said at last, the name by which he often called her,
finding that even loving words were too weak to express his feeling,
"cherie, why are you afraid that you are going to die?"
"I am ill, my poor darling; every day I am losing strength, and there
is no cure for my illness; I know that."
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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 Great God Pan by Arthur Machen: of a lost soul, Austin, the man's outward form remained, but all
hell was within it. Furious lust, and hate that was like fire,
and the loss of all hope and horror that seemed to shriek aloud
to the night, though his teeth were shut; and the utter
blackness of despair. I am sure that he did not see me; he saw
nothing that you or I can see, but what he saw I hope we never
shall. I do not know when he died; I suppose in an hour, or
perhaps two, but when I passed down Ashley Street and heard the
closing door, that man no longer belonged to this world; it was
a devil's face I looked upon."
There was an interval of silence in the room when
The Great God Pan |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Hellenica by Xenophon: proof of this. Cf. Thuc. viii. 61, and Prof. Jowett's note; also
Grote, "Hist. of Greece," viii. 27 (2d ed.)
As soon as everything was ready, these people opened the gates leading
to the Thracian Square, as it is called, and admitted the Athenian
troops with Alcibiades at their head. Helixus and Coeratadas, in
complete ignorance of the plot, hastened to the Agora with the whole
of the garrison, ready to confront the danger; but finding the enemy
in occupation, they had nothing for it but to give themselves up. They
were sent off as prisoners to Athens, where Coeratadas, in the midst
of the crowd and confusion of debarkation at Piraeus, gave his guards
the slip, and made his way in safety to Decelia.
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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 Black Beauty by Anna Sewell: it is fortunate that he has not been down. I wonder your groom has not
seen to it before. This is the sort of thing we find in foul stables,
where the litter is never properly cleaned out. If you will
send him here to-morrow I will attend to the hoof, and I will direct your man
how to apply the liniment which I will give him."
The next day I had my feet thoroughly cleansed and stuffed with tow
soaked in some strong lotion; and an unpleasant business it was.
The farrier ordered all the litter to be taken out of my box day by day,
and the floor kept very clean. Then I was to have bran mashes,
a little green food, and not so much corn, till my feet were well again.
With this treatment I soon regained my spirits; but Mr. Barry was
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