| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: man his own dirty soul for himself? However, thou art sworn now
with a vengeance; go on with thy tale: and first, who art thou, and
whence?"
"Well, sir," said the man, quite unmoved by this last explosion;
"my name is Salvation Yeo, born in Clovelly Street, in the year
1526, where my father exercised the mystery of a barber surgeon,
and a preacher of the people since called Anabaptists, for which I
return humble thanks to God."
Sir Richard.--Fie! thou naughty knave; return thanks that thy
father was an ass?
Yeo.--Nay, but because he was a barber surgeon; for I myself learnt
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by H. P. Lovecraft: curious did that archaic city rise above its walls and quays,
all of delicate black with scrolls, flutings, and arabesques of
inlaid gold. Tall and many-windowed were the houses, and carved
on every side with flowers and patterns whose dark symmetries
dazzled the eye with a beauty more poignant than light. Some ended
in swelling domes that tapered to a point, others in terraced
pyramids whereon rose clustered minarets displaying every phase
of strangeness and imagination. The walls were low, and pierced
by frequent gates, each under a great arch rising high above the
general level and capped by the head of a god chiselled with that
same skill displayed in the monstrous face on distant Ngranek.
The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Damnation of Theron Ware by Harold Frederic: He tried the experiment of looking away from Michael,
but his glance went back again irresistibly, and fastened
itself upon the sick man's gaze, and clung there.
"I am next door to a dead man," he went on, paying no heed
to the other's deprecatory gesture. "It is not years
or months with me, but weeks. Then I go away to stand up
for judgment on my sins, and if it is His merciful will,
I shall see God. So I say my good-byes now, and so you
will let me speak plainly, and not think ill of what I say.
You are much changed, Mr. Ware, since you came to Octavius,
and it is not a change for the good."
The Damnation of Theron Ware |
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 Peter Pan by James M. Barrie: "Now I see," Curly said: "Peter was bringing her to us." He
threw himself sorrowfully on the ground.
"A lady to take care of us at last," said one of the twins,
"and you have killed her!"
They were sorry for him, but sorrier for themselves, and when
he took a step nearer them they turned from him.
Tootles' face was very white, but there was a dignity about him
now that had never been there before.
"I did it," he said, reflecting. "When ladies used to come to
me in dreams, I said, `Pretty mother, pretty mother.' But when
at last she really came, I shot her."
Peter Pan |
