| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving: made his advances in a quiet and gently insinuating manner. Under
cover of his character of singing-master, he made frequent visits
at the farmhouse; not that he had anything to apprehend from the
meddlesome interference of parents, which is so often a
stumbling-block in the path of lovers. Balt Van Tassel was an
easy indulgent soul; he loved his daughter better even than his
pipe, and, like a reasonable man and an excellent father, let her
have her way in everything. His notable little wife, too, had
enough to do to attend to her housekeeping and manage her
poultry; for, as she sagely observed, ducks and geese are foolish
things, and must be looked after, but girls can take care of
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Marie by H. Rider Haggard: wait, for presently over came a wedge of geese nearly a hundred yards
up. I aimed at the first fellow, holding about eight yards ahead of him
to allow for his pace, and pressed. Next second I heard the clap of the
bullet, but alas! it had only struck the outstretched beak, of which a
small portion fell to the ground. The bird itself, after wavering a
second, resumed its place as leader of the squad and passed away
apparently unharmed.
"Baas, baas," whispered Hans as he seized the rifle and began to
re-load, "you were too far in front. These big water-birds do not
travel as fast as the rock pigeons."
I nodded, wishing to save my breath. Then, quivering with excitement,
Marie |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift: the publick, because they soon would become breeders themselves:
And besides, it is not improbable that some scrupulous people
might be apt to censure such a practice, (although indeed very
unjustly) as a little bordering upon cruelty, which, I confess,
hath always been with me the strongest objection against any
project, how well soever intended.
But in order to justify my friend, he confessed, that this
expedient was put into his head by the famous Salmanaazor, a
native of the island Formosa, who came from thence to London,
above twenty years ago, and in conversation told my friend, that
in his country, when any young person happened to be put to
A Modest Proposal |
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 Oakdale Affair by Edgar Rice Burroughs: last night. What's the news?"
"Plenty! Plenty!" exclaimed the carrier. "Lived here
nigh onto forty year, man an' boy, an' never seen such
work before in all my life."
"How's that?" questioned the farmer, scenting some-
thing interesting.
"Ol' man Baggs's murdered last night," announced the
carrier, watching eagerly for the effect of his announce-
ment.
"Gosh!" gasped Willie Case. "Was he shot?" It was
almost a scream.
The Oakdale Affair |
