| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Bab:A Sub-Deb, Mary Roberts Rinehart by Mary Roberts Rinehart: and objected, saying that it was not a theme for a young girl, and
that I must write a new one, on the subject of pears. How is one to
develope in this atmosphere?
Some of the girls are coming back. They stragle in, and put the
favers they got at Cotillions on the dresser, and their holaday
gifts, and each one relates some amorus experience while at home.
Dear dairy, is there somthing wrong with me, that Love has passed
me by? I have had offers of Devotion but none that apealed to me,
being mostly either to young or not atracting me by physicle charm.
I am not cold, although frequently acused of it, Beneath my fridgid
Exterior beats a warm heart. I intend to be honest in this dairy,
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Seraphita by Honore de Balzac: that you deny what seems to you inexplicable so as to give me the
right to affirm that which to me is believable. There is, for you, one
evident fact, which lies within yourself. In you, Matter has ended in
intelligence; can you therefore think that human intelligence will end
in darkness, doubt, and nothingness? God may seem to you
incomprehensible and inexplicable, but you must admit Him to be, in
all things purely physical, a splendid and consistent workman. Why
should His craft stop short at man, His most finished creation?
"If that question is not convincing, at least it compels meditation.
Happily, although you deny God, you are obliged, in order to establish
your doubts, to admit those double-bladed facts, which kill your
Seraphita |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin: the notion of the governor's giving me a letter of credit, having,
as he said, no credit to give. On my expressing some concern
about what I should do, he advised me to endeavor getting some
employment in the way of my business. "Among the printers here,"
said he, "you will improve yourself, and when you return to America,
you will set up to greater advantage."
We both of us happen'd to know, as well as the stationer,
that Riddlesden, the attorney, was a very knave. He had half
ruin'd Miss Read's father by persuading him to be bound for him.
By this letter it appear'd there was a secret scheme on foot to
the prejudice of Hamilton (suppos'd to be then coming over with us);
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin |
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 Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: As he stood thus, a stone struck his arm of a sudden with a sharp
jar, and, turning, he saw that an angry crowd of men had followed
him from the wrestling ring. Then, when they saw him turn so,
a great hooting and yelling arose from all, so that the folk
came running out from the dancing booth to see what was to do.
At last a tall, broad-shouldered, burly blacksmith strode forward
from the crowd swinging a mighty blackthorn club in his hand.
"Wouldst thou come here to our fair town of Denby, thou Jack in
the Box, to overcome a good honest lad with vile, juggling tricks?"
growled he in a deep voice like the bellow of an angry bull.
"Take that, then!" And of a sudden he struck a blow at the youth
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood |
