| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: Therefore it would be very proper to place in the coat-of-arms of
every pious prince a loaf of bread instead of a lion, or a wreath of
rue, or to stamp it upon the coin, to remind both them and their
subjects that by their office we have protection and peace, and that
without them we could not eat and retain our daily bread. Therefore
they are also worthy of all honor, that we give to them for their
office what we ought and can, as to those through whom we enjoy in
peace and quietness what we have, because otherwise we would not keep a
farthing; and that, in addition, we also pray for them that through
them God may bestow on us the more blessing and good.
Let this be a very brief explanation and sketch, showing how far this
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia by Samuel Johnson: squandered upon trifles, and more lost in idleness and vacancy. I
leave many great designs unattempted, and many great attempts
unfinished. My mind is burdened with no heavy crime, and therefore
I compose myself to tranquillity; endeavour to abstract my thoughts
from hopes and cares which, though reason knows them to be vain,
still try to keep their old possession of the heart; expect, with
serene humility, that hour which nature cannot long delay, and hope
to possess in a better state that happiness which here I could not
find, and that virtue which here I have not attained."
He arose and went away, leaving his audience not much elated with
the hope of long life. The Prince consoled himself with remarking
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Twelve Stories and a Dream by H. G. Wells: without affecting the nerves or they simply increase the available
energy by lowering the nervous conductivity; and all of them are
unequal and local in their operation. One wakes up the heart and
viscera and leaves the brain stupefied, one gets at the brain
champagne fashion and does nothing good for the solar plexus, and
what I want--and what, if it's an earthly possibility, I mean to have--
is a stimulant that stimulates all round, that wakes you up for
a time from the crown of your head to the tip of your great toe,
and makes you go two--or even three--to everybody else's one. Eh?
That's the thing I'm after."
"It would tire a man," I said.
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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 The First Men In The Moon by H. G. Wells: - for even familiarity fails to weaken the inhuman effect of their
appearance - continually piping a nearer approach to coherent earthly
speech - asking questions, giving answers. I feel that I am casting back
to the fable-hearing period of childhood again, when the ant and the
grasshopper talked together and the bee judged between them..."
And while these linguistic exercises were going on Cavor seems to have
experienced a considerable relaxation of his confinement. "The first dread
and distrust our unfortunate conflict aroused is being," he said,
"continually effaced by the deliberate rationality of all I do." ... "I am
now able to come and go as I please, or I am restricted only for my own
good. So it is I have been able to get at this apparatus, and, assisted
The First Men In The Moon |
