| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: gave him to Lord E-; and so on - half round the alphabet. From
that rank he pass'd into the lower house, and pass'd the hands of
as many commoners. But as all these wanted to GET IN, and my bird
wanted to GET OUT, he had almost as little store set by him in
London as in Paris.
It is impossible but many of my readers must have heard of him; and
if any by mere chance have ever seen him, I beg leave to inform
them, that that bird was my bird, or some vile copy set up to
represent him.
I have nothing farther to add upon him, but that from that time to
this I have borne this poor starling as the crest to my arms. -
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Foolish Virgin by Thomas Dixon: right gripping the knife, her face convulsed with
greed--avarice and murder blended into perfect hell-lit
unity at last.
Jim lay on his back, limp and still, obliquely
across the couch, his breast bared in the struggle, the
blood oozing a widening scarlet blot on his white
shirt. His head had fallen backward over the edge and
could not be seen.
Without moving a muscle, her body crouching, Nance
spoke:
"You wuz awake--you heered?"
|
