| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Four Arthurian Romances by Chretien DeTroyes: know what mad act she has committed to-day, as it is her wont to
do? God has illuminated the world with one great radiance, with
one bright light. But Death cannot restrain herself from acting
as her custom is. Every day, to the extent of her power, she
blots out the best creature she can find. So she wishes to try
her power, and in one body she has carried off more excellence
than she has left behind. She would have done better to take the
whole world, and leave alive and sound this prey which now she
has carried off. Beauty, courtesy, and knowledge, and all that a
lady can possess of goodness has been taken and filched from us
by Death, who has destroyed all goodness in the person of our
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Master and Man by Leo Tolstoy: they would all have to go begging.
'Just like the Matveevs,' said the neighbour. 'They used to
have a proper house, but now they've split up none of them has
anything.'
'And that is what you want to happen to us,' said the old man,
turning to his son.
The son made no reply and there was an awkward pause. The
silence was broken by Petrushka, who having harnessed the horse
had returned to the hut a few minutes before this and had been
listening all the time with a smile.
'There's a fable about that in Paulson,' he said. 'A father
Master and Man |
