| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Virginibus Puerisque by Robert Louis Stevenson: is now the veteran Sheriff EMERITIS of Perth. And I hear a
story of a lady who returned the other day to Edinburgh, after
an absence of sixty years: "I could see none of my old
friends," she said, "until I went into the Raeburn Gallery,
and found them all there."
It would be difficult to say whether the collection was
more interesting on the score of unity or diversity. Where
the portraits were all of the same period, almost all of the
same race, and all from the same brush, there could not fail
to be many points of similarity. And yet the similarity of
the handling seems to throw into more vigorous relief those
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lysis by Plato: the outer court amusing themselves; but some were in a corner of the
Apodyterium playing at odd and even with a number of dice, which they took
out of little wicker baskets. There was also a circle of lookers-on; among
them was Lysis. He was standing with the other boys and youths, having a
crown upon his head, like a fair vision, and not less worthy of praise for
his goodness than for his beauty. We left them, and went over to the
opposite side of the room, where, finding a quiet place, we sat down; and
then we began to talk. This attracted Lysis, who was constantly turning
round to look at us--he was evidently wanting to come to us. For a time he
hesitated and had not the courage to come alone; but first of all, his
friend Menexenus, leaving his play, entered the Palaestra from the court,
Lysis |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Works of Samuel Johnson by Samuel Johnson: own house, afterwards placed him with a merchant
of eminence, and gave bonds to a great value as a
security for his conduct.
The young man, removed too early from the only
eye of which he dreaded the observation, and deprived
of the only instruction which he heard with
reverence, soon learned to consider virtue as restraint,
and restraint as oppression: and to look with a
longing eye at every expense to which he could not
reach, and every pleasure which he could not partake:
by degrees he deviated from his first regularity,
|
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 The Travels of Sir John Mandeville by Sir John Mandeville: in the turning of that hill met Abraham in coming again from the
battle, when he had slain Abimelech. And this Melchisedech was
both king and priest of Salem that now is clept Jerusalem. In that
hill Tabor our Lord transfigured him before Saint Peter, Saint John
and Saint Jame; and there they saw, ghostly, Moses and Elias the
prophets beside them. And therefore said Saint Peter; DOMINE,
BONUM EST NOS HIC ESSE; FACIAMUS HIC TRIA TABERNACULA; that is to
say, 'Lord, it is good for us to be here; make we here three
dwelling-places.' And there heard they a voice of the Father that
say; HIC EST FILIUS MEUS DILECTUS, IN QUO MIHI BENE COMPLACUI. And
our Lord defended them that they should not tell that avision till
|
