| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from My Aunt Margaret's Mirror by Walter Scott: lead me to the brink of the grave, and bid me gaze on it, I do
not love that it should be dispelled. It soothes my imagination,
without influencing my reason or conduct."
"I profess, my good lady," replied I, "that had any one but you
made such a declaration, I should have thought it as capricious
as that of the clergyman, who, without vindicating his false
reading, preferred, from habit's sake, his old Mumpsimus to the
modern Sumpsimus."
"Well," answered my aunt, "I must explain my inconsistency in
this particular by comparing it to another. I am, as you know, a
piece of that old-fashioned thing called a Jacobite; but I am so
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from When the World Shook by H. Rider Haggard: evening paper with you."
A night or two later I was again suddenly awakened to feel that
Oro was approaching. He appeared like a ghost in the bright
moonlight, greeted me, and said:
"Tonight, Humphrey, we must make another journey. I would visit
the seat of the war."
"I do not wish to go," I said feebly.
"What you wish does not matter," he replied. "I wish that you
should go, and therefore you must."
"Listen, Oro," I exclaimed. "I do not like this business; it
seems dangerous to me."
When the World Shook |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Soul of a Bishop by H. G. Wells: undenominational chapel, for the simple preaching of the world
kingdom of God. There was some one who seemed prepared to meet
all the immediate demands for such a chapel."
"Was it Lady Sunderbund?" asked Clementina.
Scrope was pulled up abruptly. "Yes," he said. "It seemed at
first a quite hopeful project."
"We'd have hated that," said Clementina, with a glance as if
for assent, at her mother. "We should all have hated that."
"Anyhow it has fallen through."
"We don't mind that," said Clementina, and Daphne echoed her
words.
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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 Othello by William Shakespeare: he hath not yet made wanton the night with her: and
she is sport for Ioue
Cas. She's a most exquisite Lady
Iago. And Ile warrant her, full of Game
Cas. Indeed shes a most fresh and delicate creature
Iago. What an eye she ha's?
Me thinkes it sounds a parley to prouocation
Cas. An inuiting eye:
And yet me thinkes right modest
Iago. And when she speakes,
Is it not an Alarum to Loue?
Othello |
