| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Witch, et. al by Anton Chekhov: playing the concertina, and they kept coming closer and closer. .
. .
"Mamma, let us go away from here," said the little girl, huddling
up to her mother, pale and shaking all over; "let us go away,
mamma!
"Where?"
"To Moscow. . . . Let us go, mamma."
The child began crying.
Rodion was utterly overcome; his face broke into profuse
perspiration; he took out of his pocket a little crooked
cucumber, like a half-moon, covered with crumbs of rye bread, and
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Twice Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne: But, methinks, he might have invested the money better than he
did--no interest!--nothing but good security!--and the house to
be torn down to come at it! What made him hide it so snug,
Tabby?"
"Because he could not spend it," said Tabitha; "for as often as
he went to unlock the chest, the Old Scratch came behind and
caught his arm. The money, they say, was paid Peter out of his
purse; and he wanted Peter to give him a deed of this house and
land, which Peter swore he would not do."
"Just as I swore to John Brown, my old partner," remarked Peter.
"But this is all nonsense, Tabby! I don't believe the story."
Twice Told Tales |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from When the Sleeper Wakes by H. G. Wells: heard the song of the revolt during his long,
unpleasant research in these places, and once he saw
a confused struggle down a passage, and learnt that
a number of these serfs had seized their bread before
their work was done. Graham was ascending towards
the ways again when he saw a number of blue-clad
children running down a transverse passage, and
presently perceived the reason of their panic in a
company of the Labour Police armed with clubs,
trotting towards some unknown disturbance. And
then came a remote disorder. But for the most part
When the Sleeper Wakes |
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 Fanny Herself by Edna Ferber: "Otti."
"Oh, my!" exclaimed Fanny, weakly. "Mizzi and Otti. It
sounds like the first act of the `Merry Widow.'" She turned
to Theodore. "I wish you'd sit back, and relax, and if you
must clutch that violin case, do it more comfortably. I
don't want you to tell me a thing, now. New York is ghastly
in August. We'll get a train out of here to-morrow. My
apartment in Chicago is cool, and high, and quiet, and the
lake is in the front yard, practically. To-night, perhaps,
we'll talk about--things. And, oh, Teddy, how glad I
am to see you--to have you--to--" she put out a hand and
Fanny Herself |
