| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Brother of Daphne by Dornford Yates: face close to the inch and a half of open window. Except for an
occasional flash, which had showed where her eyes were, I had not
seen her at all. Expectantly I raised the lamp and peered into
the limousine. Out of a huge fur rug a solitary eye regarded me
steadily.
"Only one eye?" I said. "How sad. How did it happen?"
The solitary eye went out, and then reappeared with a fellow.
"You remind me of the North Foreland," said I. "That's an
intermittent light, isn't it? Two winks and a blink every ten
seconds."
"I didn't wink." This in a plainly indignant, if muffled tone-
The Brother of Daphne |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: place, and that gave way to Deering's broad features. The men being clad alike
in buckskin, and their motions so rapid, prevented Zane from lending a helping
hand.
Suddenly Deering was propelled from the mass as if by a catapult. His body
straightened as it came down with a heavy thud. Zane pounced upon it with
catlike quickness. Once more he swung aloft the bloody hatchet; then once more
he lowered it, for there was no need to strike. The renegade's side was torn
open from shoulder to hip. A deluge of blood poured out upon the moss. Deering
choked, a bloody froth formed on his lips. His fingers clutched at nothing.
His eyes rolled violently and then were fixed in an awful stare.
The girl lying so quiet in the woods near the old hut was avenged!
The Spirit of the Border |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso: And engines huge they saw, yet could not tell
How they were built, their forms they saw not well.
XLVII
Their engines eke they reared, and with great art
Repaired each bulwark, turret, port and tower,
And fortified the plain and easy part,
To bide the storm of every warlike stoure,
Till as they thought no sleight or force of Mart
To undermine or scale the same had power;
And false Ismeno gan new balls prepare
Of wicked fire, wild, wondrous, strange and rare.
|
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 Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen: He held out his hand. She could not refuse to give
him hers's;--he pressed it with affection.
"And you DO think something better of me than
you did?"--said he, letting it fall, and leaning against
the mantel-piece as if forgetting he was to go.
Elinor assured him that she did;--that she forgave,
pitied, wished him well--was even interested in his
happiness--and added some gentle counsel as to the behaviour
most likely to promote it. His answer was not very encouraging.
"As to that," said he, "I must rub through the world
as well as I can. Domestic happiness is out of the question.
Sense and Sensibility |
