| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: "It's cold out," she said, corking the bottle.
The Young Man ran his hands through his snow-powdered hair and laughed.
"I wouldn't call it exactly tropical," he said, "But you're very snug in
here--look as though you've been asleep."
Very languid felt Sabina in the hot room, and the Young Man's voice was
strong and deep. She thought she had never seen anybody who looked so
strong--as though he could take up the table in one hand--and his restless
gaze wandering over her face and figure gave her a curious thrill deep in
her body, half pleasure, half pain...She wanted to stand there, close
beside him, while he drank his wine. A little silence followed. Then he
took a book out of his pocket, and Sabina went back to her sewing. Sitting
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens: eyes, look at his restless way, hear him cry "No Popery!" Mad, my
lord.'
'So because one man dresses unlike another,' returned his angry
master, glancing at himself; 'and happens to differ from other men
in his carriage and manner, and to advocate a great cause which the
corrupt and irreligious desert, he is to be accounted mad, is he?'
'Stark, staring, raving, roaring mad, my lord,' returned the
unmoved John.
'Do you say this to my face?' cried his master, turning sharply
upon him.
'To any man, my lord, who asks me,' answered John.
Barnaby Rudge |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: to live in the Rue aux Ours. Isn't it so, Kitty?"
"I do not care where I live," said Kitty, "provided I am
well concealed, and nobody knows where I am."
"Meanwhile, Kitty, when we are about to separate, and you
are no longer jealous of me--"
"Monsieur Chevalier, far off or near," said Kitty, "I shall
always love you."
"Where the devil will constancy niche itself next?" murmured
Athos.
"And I, also," said D'Artagnan, "I also. I shall always
love you; be sure of that. But now answer me. I attach
The Three Musketeers |
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 Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx: earliest,
indistinct and undefined forms only. These proposals, therefore,
are of a purely Utopian character.
The significance of Critical-Utopian Socialism and Communism
bears an inverse relation to historical development. In
proportion as the modern class struggle develops and takes
definite shape, this fantastic standing apart from the contest,
these fantastic attacks on it, lose all practical value and all
theoretical justification. Therefore, although the originators
of these systems were, in many respects, revolutionary, their
disciples have, in every case, formed mere reactionary sects.
The Communist Manifesto |
