| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin: other points, and so on in almost endless cycles. On the view that each
species has been independently created, I can see no explanation of this
great fact in the classification of all organic beings; but, to the best of
my judgment, it is explained through inheritance and the complex action of
natural selection, entailing extinction and divergence of character, as we
have seen illustrated in the diagram.
The affinities of all the beings of the same class have sometimes been
represented by a great tree. I believe this simile largely speaks the
truth. The green and budding twigs may represent existing species; and
those produced during each former year may represent the long succession of
extinct species. At each period of growth all the growing twigs have tried
On the Origin of Species |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Emma McChesney & Co. by Edna Ferber: with them; she often approved of them, heart and soul. But she
had been heard to say that the Movers got on her nerves. Those
well-dressed, glib, staccato ladies who spoke with such ease from
platforms and whose pictures stared out at one from the woman's
page failed, somehow, to convince her. When Emma approved a new
movement, it was generally in spite of them, never because of
them. She was brazenly unapologetic when she said that she would
rather listen to ten minutes of Sophy Kumpf's world-wisdom than
to an hour's talk by the most magnetic and silken-clad
spellbinder in any cause. For fifteen business years, in the
office, on the road, and in the thriving workshop, Emma McChesney
Emma McChesney & Co. |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: in every direction, and might have been seen, like the idlest of
loungers, in the most frequented places, his heart telling him that
sooner or later he must meet the object of his ardent search.
One evening--it was towards the middle of October--the autumn, as
frequently happens in Paris, was magnificent, and along the
boulevards, where the Provencal was airing his love and his
melancholy, the out-door life and gaiety were as animated as in
summer. On the boulevard des Italiens, formerly known as the boulevard
de Gand, as he lounged past the long line of chairs before the Cafe de
Paris, where, mingled with a few women of the Chaussee d'Antin
accompanied by their husbands and children, may be seen toward evening
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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 Water-Babies by Charles Kingsley: beating Tom.
"I know about Vendale, and about you, too. I know, for instance,
what happened in Aldermire Copse, by night, two years ago come
Martinmas."
"You do?" shouted Grimes; and leaving Tom, he climbed up over the
wall, and faced the woman. Tom thought he was going to strike her;
but she looked him too full and fierce in the face for that.
"Yes; I was there," said the Irishwoman quietly.
"You are no Irishwoman, by your speech," said Grimes, after many
bad words.
"Never mind who I am. I saw what I saw; and if you strike that boy
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