| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf: and even faintly malicious, she concluded that poor Charles Tansley had
been shed. That was of little account to her. If her husband required
sacrifices (and indeed he did) she cheerfully offered up to him Charles
Tansley, who had snubbed her little boy.
One moment more, with her head raised, she listened, as if she waited for
some habitual sound, some regular mechanical sound; and then, hearing
something rhythmical, half said, half chanted, beginning in the garden, as
her husband beat up and down the terrace, something between a croak and a
song, she was soothed once more, assured again that all was well, and
looking down at the book on her knee found the picture of a pocket knife
with six blades which could only be cut out if James was very careful.
To the Lighthouse |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Contrast by Royall Tyler: MANLY
My dear Charlotte, I am happy that I once more
enfold you within the arms of fraternal affection. I
know you are going to ask (amiable impatience!)
how our parents do,--the venerable pair transmit you
their blessing by me. They totter on the verge of a
well-spent life, and wish only to see their children
settled in the world, to depart in peace.
CHARLOTTE
I am very happy to hear that they are well. [Coolly.]
Brother, will you give me leave to introduce you to our
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy: "Religion--orthodox?"
"Orthodox."
"Occupation. What was your occupation?"
Maslova remained silent.
"What was your employment?"
"You know yourself," she said, and smiled. Then, casting a
hurried look round the room, again turned her eyes on the
president.
There was something so unusual in the expression of her face, so
terrible and piteous in the meaning of the words she had uttered,
in this smile, and in the furtive glance she had cast round the
Resurrection |
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 Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: to the other, just as the temptation has wrought. But a villainous affair
it is, and will one day so blend and confound us all together, that no one
shall be able to stand up and swear, 'That his own great grandfather was
the man who did either this or that.'
This evil had been sufficiently fenced against by the prudent care of the
Yorick's family, and their religious preservation of these records I quote,
which do farther inform us, That the family was originally of Danish
extraction, and had been transplanted into England as early as in the reign
of Horwendillus, king of Denmark, in whose court, it seems, an ancestor of
this Mr Yorick's, and from whom he was lineally descended, held a
considerable post to the day of his death. Of what nature this
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