Today's Stichomancy for Calista Flockhart
| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Divine Comedy (translated by H.F. Cary) by Dante Alighieri: Wistfully on that region, where the sun
Abateth most his speed; that, seeing her
Suspense and wand'ring, I became as one,
In whom desire is waken'd, and the hope
Of somewhat new to come fills with delight.
Short space ensued; I was not held, I say,
Long in expectance, when I saw the heav'n
Wax more and more resplendent; and, "Behold,"
Cried Beatrice, "the triumphal hosts
Of Christ, and all the harvest reap'd at length
Of thy ascending up these spheres." Meseem'd,
The Divine Comedy (translated by H.F. Cary) |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Silas Marner by George Eliot: Cass and other substantial parishioners. It had just occurred to
Mr. Snell, the landlord--he being, as he observed, a man
accustomed to put two and two together--to connect with the
tinder-box, which, as deputy-constable, he himself had had the
honourable distinction of finding, certain recollections of a pedlar
who had called to drink at the house about a month before, and had
actually stated that he carried a tinder-box about with him to light
his pipe. Here, surely, was a clue to be followed out. And as
memory, when duly impregnated with ascertained facts, is sometimes
surprisingly fertile, Mr. Snell gradually recovered a vivid
impression of the effect produced on him by the pedlar's countenance
Silas Marner |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Economist by Xenophon: too, gives her consent--law and the usage of mankind, by sanctioning
the wedlock of man and wife; and just as God ordained them to be
partners in their children, so the law establishes their common
ownership of house and estate. Custom, moreover, proclaims as
beautiful those excellences of man and woman with which God gifted
them at birth.[28] Thus for a woman to bide tranquilly at home rather
than roam aborad is no dishonour; but for a man to remain indoors,
instead of devoting himself to outdoor pursuits, is a thing
discreditable. But if a man does things contrary to the nature given
him by God, the chances are,[29] such insubordination escapes not the
eye of Heaven: he pays the penalty, whether of neglecting his own
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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 Cousin Pons by Honore de Balzac: all possible delay."
The matter thus broached, when repeated and amplified by the waiting-
maid, naturally brought a favorable answer. It was a decisive moment
for the double ambition hidden in Fraisier's mind. Bold as a petty
provincial attorney, sharp, rough-spoken, and curt as he was, he felt
as captains feel before the decisive battle of a campaign. As he went
into the little drawing-room where Amelie was waiting for him, he felt
a slight perspiration breaking out upon his forehead and down his
back. Every sudorific hitherto employed had failed to produce this
result upon a skin which horrible diseases had left impervious. "Even
if I fail to make my fortune," said he to himself, "I shall recover.
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