| 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: I bought it for my price, and stored it away. Where? Why, in
one of those no-questions-asked garages where they keep motors
that are not for family use. I had a lively cousin who had put
me up to that dodge, and I looked about till I found a queer hole
where they took in my car like a baby in a foundling asylum. . .
Then I practiced running to Wrenfield and back in a night. I
knew the way pretty well, for I'd done it often with the same
lively cousin--and in the small hours, too. The distance is over
ninety miles, and on the third trial I did it under two hours.
But my arms were so lame that I could hardly get dressed the next
morning. . .
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Professor by Charlotte Bronte: closely before; and, as my sight is very short, I had gathered
only a vague, general idea of his appearance; I was surprised
now, on examination, to perceive how small, and even feminine,
were his lineaments; his tall figure, long and dark locks, his
voice and general bearing, had impressed me with the notion of
something powerful and massive; not at all:--my own features were
cast in a harsher and squarer mould than his. I discerned that
there would be contrasts between his inward and outward man;
contentions, too; for I suspected his soul had more of will and
ambition than his body had of fibre and muscle. Perhaps, in these
incompatibilities of the "physique" with the "morale," lay the
The Professor |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Red Seal by Natalie Sumner Lincoln: "Babs, aren't you glad to see me?" he asked wistfully.
For an instant her eyes were lighted by her old sunny smile.
"You know I am," she whispered softly. As his arms closed around
her and their lips met in a tender kiss she added fervently, "Oh,
Harry, why didn't you make me marry you in the happy bygone days?"
"I asked you often enough," he declared.
"Will you go with me to Rockville at once?" Her face changed and
she drew back from him. "No," she said. "It is selfish of me to
think of my own happiness now."
"How about mine?" demanded Kent with warmth. "If you won't consider
yourself, consider me."
The Red Seal |
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 One Basket by Edna Ferber: Emily's boy. He was marching by, rather stiffly. He was
nineteen, and fun-loving, and he had a girl, and he didn't
particularly want to go to France and--to go to France. But more
than he had hated going, he had hated not to go. So he marched
by, looking straight ahead, his jaw set so that his chin stuck
out just a little. Emily's boy.
Jo looked at him, and his face flushed purple. His eyes, the
hard-boiled eyes of a Loop-hound, took on the look of a sad old
man. And suddenly he was no longer Jo, the sport; old J. Hertz,
the gay dog. He was Jo Hertz, thirty, in love with life, in love
with Emily, and with the stinging blood of young manhood coursing
One Basket |
