| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Agesilaus by Xenophon: king, was minded to seize his own daughter unwedded. Resenting such
brutality, Spithridates delivered up himself, his wife, his children,
and his whole power, into the hands of Agesilaus. Cotys[2] also, the
ruler of Paphlagonia, had refused to obey a summons from the king,
although he sent him the warrant of his right hand;[3] then fear came
upon him lest he should be seized, and either be heavily fined or die
the death; yet he too, simply trusting to an armistice, came to the
camp of Agesilaus and made alliance, and of his own accord chose to
take the field with Agesilaus, bringing a thousand horsemen and two
thousand targeteers. Lastly, Pharnabazus[4] himself came and held
colloquy with Agesilaus, and openly agreed that if he were not himself
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Somebody's Little Girl by Martha Young: get back to my home; but I could not for many, many days, because
the Dreadful Quarantines were on. Then at last I did get there--I
slipped up secretly by water. All were gone. I could find no one
who could tell me anything. I could find no one who knew anything.
The house was wide open. There was no sign of life, but that the
cat came and rubbed up against me, and walked round and round me.
The Dreadful Fever was everywhere, and nobody could tell me
anything; and I searched everywhere, always and always alone--there
was no one to help me: everyone was trying to save from the Dreadful
Fever--''
Bessie Bell did not know what all that was about, but she felt so
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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 My Antonia by Willa Cather: There was a bleeding heart, in tufts of paper lace; there were
the three kings, gorgeously apparelled, and the ox and the ass
and the shepherds; there was the Baby in the manger, and a group
of angels, singing; there were camels and leopards, held by the black
slaves of the three kings. Our tree became the talking tree of the
fairy tale; legends and stories nestled like birds in its branches.
Grandmother said it reminded her of the Tree of Knowledge.
We put sheets of cotton wool under it for a snow-field, and Jake's
pocket-mirror for a frozen lake.
I can see them now, exactly as they looked, working about
the table in the lamplight: Jake with his heavy features,
My Antonia |
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 Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas: Cornelius rushed forward towards the jailer, but Gryphus,
who was not yet aware of the serious nature of his injury,
called out to him, --
"It is nothing: don't you stir."
He then tried to support himself on his arm, but the bone
gave way; then only he felt the pain, and uttered a cry.
When he became aware that his arm was broken, this man, so
harsh to others, fell swooning on the threshold, where he
remained motionless and cold, as if dead.
During all this time the door of the cell stood open and
Cornelius found himself almost free. But the thought never
The Black Tulip |
