| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Options by O. Henry: to the Second National Bank of Espinosa City. And so they've followed
the trail where they've been spent, and it leads this way.'
"Ogden pours out some more Bourbon, and shoves me the bottle.
"'I imagine,' says I, after ingurgitating another modicum of the royal
boose, 'that it wouldn't be at all a disingenuous idea for a train
robber to run down into this part of the country to hide for a spell.
A sheep-ranch, now,' says I, would be the finest kind of a place.
Who'd ever expect to find such a desperate character among these song-
birds and muttons and wild flowers? And, by the way,' says I, kind of
looking H. Ogden over, 'was there any description mentioned of this
single-handed terror? Was his lineaments or height and thickness or
Options |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Woman and Labour by Olive Schreiner: mathematics, engineering, or statecraft may be made clear; and that a like
marked inclination in the male to excel in acting, music, or astronomy may
by careful and large comparison be shown. But, for the present, we have no
adequate scientific data from which to draw any conclusion, and any attempt
to divide the occupations in which male and female intellects and wills
should be employed, must be to attempt a purely artificial and arbitrary
division: a division not more rational and scientific than an attempt to
determine by the colour of his eyes and the shape and strength of his legs,
whether a lad should be an astronomer or an engraver. Those physical
differences among mankind which divide races and nations--not merely those
differences, enormously greater as they are generally, than any physical
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery: start. But Anne counted it all joy, and was up before sunrise on
Tuesday morning. A glance from her window assured her that the
day would be fine, for the eastern sky behind the firs of the
Haunted Wood was all silvery and cloudless. Through the gap in
the trees a light was shining in the western gable of Orchard
Slope, a token that Diana was also up.
Anne was dressed by the time Matthew had the fire on and had the
breakfast ready when Marilla came down, but for her own part was
much too excited to eat. After breakfast the jaunty new cap and
jacket were donned, and Anne hastened over the brook and up
through the firs to Orchard Slope. Mr. Barry and Diana were
Anne of Green Gables |
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 The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy: the two or three things that belonged to her. While she was doing
this the two women came who had been called by Melbury, and at
their heels poor Creedle.
"Forgive me, but I can't rule my mourning nohow as a man should,
Mr. Melbury," he said. "I ha'n't seen him since Thursday
se'night, and have wondered for days and days where he's been
keeping. There was I expecting him to come and tell me to wash
out the cider-barrels against the making, and here was he-- Well,
I've knowed him from table-high; I knowed his father--used to bide
about upon two sticks in the sun afore he died!--and now I've seen
the end of the family, which we can ill afford to lose, wi' such a
The Woodlanders |
