| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from When the World Shook by H. Rider Haggard: flat rock. And yet, although they had been thus sheltered by a
great stone curtain in front of them, still these sculptures were
worn away by the tooth of Time. Of course, however, this may have
happened to them before they were buried in some ancient
cataclysm, to be thus resurrected at the hour of our arrival upon
the island.
Without pausing to make any closer examination of these
crumbled carvings, we entered the yawning mouth of that great
place, following and indeed walking in the deep grooves that I
have mentioned. Presently it seemed to open out as a courtyard
might at the end of a passage; yes, to open on to some vast place
When the World Shook |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Wife, et al by Anton Chekhov: Himalaiskoe' in the afternoon. It was hot. Everywhere there were
ditches, fences, hedges, fir-trees planted in rows, and there was
no knowing how to get to the yard, where to put one's horse. I
went up to the house, and was met by a fat red dog that looked
like a pig. It wanted to bark, but it was too lazy. The cook, a
fat, barefooted woman, came out of the kitchen, and she, too,
looked like a pig, and said that her master was resting after
dinner. I went in to see my brother. He was sitting up in bed
with a quilt over his legs; he had grown older, fatter, wrinkled;
his cheeks, his nose, and his mouth all stuck out -- he looked as
though he might begin grunting into the quilt at any moment.
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells: mischievous have to die. They ought to die. They ought to
be willing to die. It's a sort of disloyalty, after all, to live
and taint the race. And they can't be happy. Moreover, dying's
none so dreadful; it's the funking makes it bad. And in all
those places we shall gather. Our district will be London.
And we may even be able to keep a watch, and run about
in the open when the Martians keep away. Play cricket, per-
haps. That's how we shall save the race. Eh? It's a possible
thing? But saving the race is nothing in itself. As I say,
that's only being rats. It's saving our knowledge and adding
to it is the thing. There men like you come in. There's books,
War of the Worlds |
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: And he that is approu'd in this offence,
Though he had twinn'd with me, both at a birth,
Shall loose me. What in a Towne of warre,
Yet wilde, the peoples hearts brim-full of feare,
To Manage priuate, and domesticke Quarrell?
In night, and on the Court and Guard of safetie?
'Tis monstrous: Iago, who began't?
Mon. If partially Affin'd, or league in office,
Thou dost deliuer more, or lesse then Truth,
Thou art no Souldier
Iago. Touch me not so neere,
Othello |
