| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton by Edith Wharton: pigment which has darkened in drying.
"And Professor Clyde--is he well?" Mrs. Lombard asked affably;
continuing, as her daughter raised a startled eye: "Surely,
Sybilla, Mr. Wyant was the gentleman who was sent by Professor
Clyde to see the Leonardo?"
Miss Lombard was silent, but Wyant hastened to assure the elder
lady of his friend's well-being.
"Ah--perhaps, then, he will come back some day to Siena," she
said, sighing. Wyant declared that it was more than likely; and
there ensued a pause, which he presently broke by saying to Miss
Lombard: "And you still have the picture?"
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte: pinafores together, and hung them up for a curtain, when in comes
Joseph, on an errand from the stables. He tears down my handiwork,
boxes my ears, and croaks:
'"T' maister nobbut just buried, and Sabbath not o'ered, und t'
sound o' t' gospel still i' yer lugs, and ye darr be laiking!
Shame on ye! sit ye down, ill childer! there's good books eneugh if
ye'll read 'em: sit ye down, and think o' yer sowls!"
'Saying this, he compelled us so to square our positions that we
might receive from the far-off fire a dull ray to show us the text
of the lumber he thrust upon us. I could not bear the employment.
I took my dingy volume by the scroop, and hurled it into the dog-
Wuthering Heights |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Daisy Miller by Henry James: I had no fear; and she wanted to go."
"That was no reason!" Winterbourne declared.
The subtle Roman again dropped his eyes. "If she had lived,
I should have got nothing. She would never have married me,
I am sure."
"She would never have married you?"
"For a moment I hoped so. But no. I am sure."
Winterbourne listened to him: he stood staring at the raw protuberance
among the April daisies. When he turned away again, Mr. Giovanelli,
with his light, slow step, had retired.
Winterbourne almost immediately left Rome; but the following
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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 The Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: her. Knowing Girty had the unfortunate girls somewhere near the Delaware
encampment, he resolved to find the place. Plans of all kinds he resolved in
his mind. The best one he believed lay through Whispering Winds. First to find
the whereabouts of Girty; kill him if possible, or at least free Kate, and
then get away with her and his Indian bride. Sanguine as he invariably was, he
could not but realize the peril of this undertaking. If Whispering Winds
betrayed her people, it meant death to her as well as to him. He would far
rather spend the remaining days of his life in the Indian village, than doom
the maiden whose love had saved him. Yet he thought he might succeed in
getting away with her, and planned to that end. His natural spirit, daring,
reckless, had gained while he was associated with Wetzel.
The Spirit of the Border |
