| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Works of Samuel Johnson by Samuel Johnson: contriving some new method of paying my court;
inquiring the age of my future benefactors; or
considering how I should employ their legacies.
If our eagerness of money could have been
satisfied with the possessions of any one of my relations,
they might perhaps have been obtained; but as it
was impossible to be always present with all three,
our competitors were busy to efface any trace of
affection which we might have left behind; and
since there was not, on any part, such superiority
of merit as could enforce a constant and unshaken
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Child of Storm by H. Rider Haggard: was a summons to an audience, and asked when it would please Panda to
receive me and "the-little-black-stones-that-work-wonders." He
answered--at once.
So we started, and within an hour I stood, or rather sat, before Panda.
Like all his family, the King was an enormous man, but, unlike Chaka and
those of his brothers whom I had known, one of a kindly countenance. I
saluted him by lifting my cap, and took my place upon a wooden stool
that had been provided for me outside the great hut, in the shadow of
which he sat within his isi-gohlo, or private enclosure.
"Greeting, O Macumazana," he said. "I am glad to see you safe and well,
for I understand that you have been engaged upon a perilous adventure
Child of Storm |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Koran: yet a believer, then let him free a believing neck. And if it be a
tribe betwixt whom and you there is an alliance, then let the
blood-money be paid to his friends, and let him free a believing neck;
but he who cannot find the means, then let him fast for two
consecutive months- a penance this from God, for God is knowing, wise.
And whoso kills a believer purposely, his reward is hell, to dwell
therein for aye; and God will be wrath with him, and curse him, and
prepare for him a mighty woe.
O ye who believe! when ye are knocking about in the way of God be
discerning, and do not say to him who offers you a salutation, 'Thou
art no believer,' craving after the chances of this world's life,
The Koran |
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 Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner: it off with his finger. Then he leaned on his elbow, watching its
quivering antennae and strange movements, smiling.
"Even you," he whispered, "shall not die. Even you He loves. Even you He
will fold in His arms when He takes everything and makes it perfect and
happy."
When the thing had gone he smoothed the leaves of his Bible somewhat
caressingly. The leaves of that book had dropped blood for him once; they
had taken the brightness out of his childhood; from between them had sprung
the visions that had clung about him and made night horrible. Adder-like
thoughts had lifted their heads, had shot out forked tongues at him, asking
mockingly strange, trivial questions that he could not answer, miserable
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