| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Democracy In America, Volume 1 by Alexis de Toqueville: judicial resources into the administration.
I have already premised that, after having examined the
constitution of the township and the county of New England in
detail, I should take a general view of the remainder of the
Union. Townships and a local activity exist in every State; but
in no part of the confederation is a township to be met with
precisely similar to those of New England. The more we descend
towards the South, the less active does the business of the
township or parish become; the number of magistrates, of
functions, and of rights decreases; the population exercises a
less immediate influence on affairs; town meetings are less
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Pool of Blood in the Pastor's Study by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: advantage of Dr. Orszay's invitation."
Half an hour later Muller and the doctor sat together in a
summer-house, from the windows of which one could see the park
surrounding the asylum to almost its entire extent. The park was
arranged with due regard to its purpose. The eye could sweep
through it unhindered. There were no bushes except immediately
along the high wall. Otherwise there were beautiful lawns, flower
beds and groups of fine old trees with tall trunks.
As would be natural in visiting such a place Muller had induced the
doctor to talk about his patients. Dr. Orszay was an excellent
talker and possessed the power of painting a personality for his
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A House of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde: woman came flying through the air. Plague was written upon her
forehead, and a crowd of lean vultures wheeled round her. She
covered the valley with her wings, and no man was left alive.
And Avarice fled shrieking through the forest, and Death leaped
upon his red horse and galloped away, and his galloping was faster
than the wind.
And out of the slime at the bottom of the valley crept dragons and
horrible things with scales, and the jackals came trotting along
the sand, sniffing up the air with their nostrils.
And the young King wept, and said: 'Who were these men, and for
what were they seeking?'
|
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 Enemies of Books by William Blades: doubtless had a good shaking on the journey, and one was moribund
when I took charge, and joined his defunct kindred in a few days.
The other seemed hearty and lived with me for nearly eighteen months.
I treated him as well as I knew how; placed him in a small box with the choice
of three sorts of old paper to eat, and very seldom disturbed him.
He evidently resented his confinement, ate very little, moved very little,
and changed in appearance very little, even when dead. This Greek worm,
filled with Hebrew lore, differed in many respects from any other I
have seen. He was longer, thinner, and more delicate looking than any
of his English congeners. He was transparent, like thin ivory, and had
a dark line through his body, which I took to be the intestinal canal.
|
