| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Montezuma's Daughter by H. Rider Haggard: indeed; I thought that you must be dead or dying. Indeed had it
not been for this accursed plague, I would have seen to it myself.
Well, it has come right at last, and here is the only lucky thing
in all this voyage, that I shall have the pleasure of sending you
to the sharks. It consoles me for much, friend Wingfield. So you
came across the seas to seek vengeance on me? Well, I hope that
your stay has been pleasant. The accommodation was a little poor,
but at least the welcome was hearty. And now it is time to speed
the parting guest. Good night, Thomas Wingfield; if you should
chance to meet your mother presently, tell her from me that I was
grieved to have to kill her, for she is the one being whom I have
Montezuma's Daughter |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: guard, that there met him two men, clad in filthy rags, with
fallen-in faces, and pale as death. Now the king knew that it
was by buffetings of the body and by the sweats of the monastic
life that they had thus wasted their miserable flesh. So, seeing
them, he leapt anon from his chariot, fell on the ground, and did
obeisance. Then rising, he embraced and greeted them tenderly.
But his noblemen and counsellors took offence thereat, deeming
that their sovran had disgraced his kingly honour. But not
daring to reprove him to the face, they bade the king's own
brother tell the king not thus to insult the majesty of his
crown. When he had told the king thereof, and had upbraided him
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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 A Passion in the Desert by Honore de Balzac: in spite of their natural fierceness, was mingled confusedly a kind of
good will. The poor Provencal ate his dates, leaning against one of
the palm trees, and casting his eyes alternately on the desert in
quest of some liberator and on his terrible companion to watch her
uncertain clemency.
The panther looked at the place where the date stones fell, and every
time that he threw one down her eyes expressed an incredible mistrust.
She examined the man with an almost commercial prudence. However, this
examination was favorable to him, for when he had finished his meager
meal she licked his boots with her powerful rough tongue, brushing off
with marvelous skill the dust gathered in the creases.
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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 Falk by Joseph Conrad: the words morning or afternoon. Always P.M. or
A.M., log-book style.) "Smart work that. Man's
always in a state of hurry. He's a regular
chucker-out, ain't he, sir? There's a few pubs I
know of in the East-end of London that would be
all the better for one of his sort around the bar."
He chuckled at his joke. "A regular chucker-out.
Now he has fired out that Dutchman head over heels,
I suppose our turn's coming to-morrow morning."
We were all on deck at break of day (even the
sick--poor devils--had crawled out) ready to cast
Falk |
