| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Pupil by Henry James: boy to her side. "You must know what to expect," she went on to
Pemberton.
"The less you expect the better!" her companion interposed. "But
we ARE people of fashion."
"Only so far as YOU make us so!" Mrs. Moreen tenderly mocked.
"Well then, on Friday - don't tell me you're superstitious - and
mind you don't fail us. Then you'll see us all. I'm so sorry the
girls are out. I guess you'll like the girls. And, you know, I've
another son, quite different from this one."
"He tries to imitate me," Morgan said to their friend.
"He tries? Why he's twenty years old!" cried Mrs. Moreen.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz by L. Frank Baum: An instant later the Tiger crouched and launched its huge body through
the air swift and resistless as a ball from a cannon. The beast
struck Jim full on his shoulder and sent the astonished cab-horse
rolling over and over, amid shouts of delight from the spectators, who
had been horrified by the ungracious act he had been guilty of.
When Jim came to himself and sat upon his haunches he found the
Cowardly Lion crouched on one side of him and the Hungry Tiger on the
other, and their eyes were glowing like balls of fire.
"I beg your pardon, I'm sure," said Jim, meekly. "I was wrong to kick
the Sawhorse, and I am sorry I became angry at him. He has won the
race, and won it fairly; but what can a horse of flesh do against a
Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Mirror of the Sea by Joseph Conrad: wind there is."
And, indeed, poor P-, quite young, and a smart seaman, was very
hard of hearing. At the same time, he had the name of being the
very devil of a fellow for carrying on sail on a ship. He was
wonderfully clever at concealing his deafness, and, as to carrying
on heavily, though he was a fearless man, I don't think that he
ever meant to take undue risks. I can never forget his naive sort
of astonishment when remonstrated with for what appeared a most
dare-devil performance. The only person, of course, that could
remonstrate with telling effect was our captain, himself a man of
dare-devil tradition; and really, for me, who knew under whom I was
The Mirror of the Sea |
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 Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson: development the thing would bear. Dickens killed them. The only
really well EXECUTED scenes are the riverside ones; the escape in
particular is excellent; and I may add, the capture of the two
convicts at the beginning. Miss Havisham is, probably, the worst
thing in human fiction. But Wemmick I like; and I like Trabb's
boy; and Mr. Wopsle as Hamlet is splendid.
The weather here is greatly improved, and I hope in three days to
be in the chalet. That is, if I get some money to float me there.
I hope you are all right again, and will keep better. The month of
March is past its mid career; it must soon begin to turn toward the
lamb; here it has already begun to do so; and I hope milder weather
|
