| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, etc. by Oscar Wilde: Shakespeare promised Willie Hughes immortality in a form that
appealed to men's eyes - that is to say, in a spectacular form, in
a play that is to be looked at.
For two weeks I worked hard at the Sonnets, hardly ever going out,
and refusing all invitations. Every day I seemed to be discovering
something new, and Willie Hughes became to me a kind of spiritual
presence, an ever-dominant personality. I could almost fancy that
I saw him standing in the shadow of my room, so well had
Shakespeare drawn him, with his golden hair, his tender flower-like
grace, his dreamy deep-sunken eyes, his delicate mobile limbs, and
his white lily hands. His very name fascinated me. Willie Hughes!
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Koran: that they are the fellows of the Fire!
Those who bear the throne and those around it celebrate the praise
of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask pardon for those who
believe: 'Our Lord! thou dost embrace all things in mercy and
knowledge, then pardon those who turn repentant and follow thy way,
and guard them from the torment of hell! Our Lord! make them enter
into gardens of Eden which thou hast promised to them, and to those
who do well of their fathers, and their wives, and their seed; verily,
thou art the mighty, the wise! and guard them from evil deeds, for
he whom thou shalt guard from evil deeds on that day, thou wilt have
had mercy on, and that is mighty bliss!'
The Koran |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Call of the Canyon by Zane Grey: "We're afraid you'll take cold," said Flo. "This is desert country with
high altitude. Spring is here when the sun shines. But it's only shinin' in
streaks these days. That means winter, really. Please be good."
"Well, it doesn't require much self-denial to stay here awhile longer,"
replied Carley, lazily.
Flo left with a parting admonition not to let the stove get red-hot. And
Carley lay snuggled in the warm blankets, dreading the ordeal of getting
out into that cold bare room. Her nose was cold. When her nose grew cold,
it being a faithful barometer as to temperature, Carley knew there was
frost in the air. She preferred summer. Steam-heated rooms with hothouse
flowers lending their perfume had certainly not trained Carley for
The Call of the Canyon |
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 A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: whole corps, with those of some other regiments, left without any
provision, he found himself in a wide world without friends,
without a livre, - and indeed, said he, without anything but this,
- (pointing, as he said it, to his croix). - The poor Chevalier won
my pity, and he finished the scene with winning my esteem too.
The king, he said, was the most generous of princes, but his
generosity could neither relieve nor reward everyone, and it was
only his misfortune to be amongst the number. He had a little
wife, he said, whom he loved, who did the PATISSERIE; and added, he
felt no dishonour in defending her and himself from want in this
way - unless Providence had offer'd him a better.
|
