| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from House of Mirth by Edith Wharton: hesitation; yet the nervous dread of a refusal, or even of an
expression of doubt, communicated itself to her restless hands as
she affected to examine the bottles of perfume stacked on the
glass case before her.
The clerk had read the prescription without comment; but in the
act of handing out the bottle he paused.
"You don't want to increase the dose, you know," he remarked.
Lily's heart contracted.
What did he mean by looking at her in that way?
"Of course not," she murmured, holding out her hand.
"That's all right: it's a queer-acting drug. A drop or two more,
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Economist by Xenophon: dramatic form, inserting "Isch." "Soc." in the customary way
to designate the speakers; but these, it must be borne in
mind, are merely "asides" to the reader, who will not forget
that Socrates is the narrator throughout--speaking of himself
as "I," and of Ischomachus as "he," or by his name.--
Translator's note, addressed to the English reader.
I
I once heard him[2] discuss the topic of economy[3] after the
following manner. Addressing Critobulus,[4] he said: Tell me,
Critobulus, is "economy," like the words "medicine," "carpentry,"
"building," "smithying," "metal-working," and so forth, the name of a
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy: selfish fellow, I hope. Have it as you wish!" On reflection
his brow showed perplexity. "But perhaps it is that you don't
love me--not that you have become conventional! Much as,
under your teaching, I hate convention, I hope it IS that,
not the other terrible alternative!"
Even at this obvious moment for candour Sue could not be
quite candid as to the state of that mystery, her heart.
"Put it down to my timidity," she said with hurried evasiveness;
"to a woman's natural timidity when the crisis comes. I may feel
as well as you that I have a perfect right to live with you
as you thought--from this moment. I may hold the opinion that,
Jude the Obscure |
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 Pellucidar by Edgar Rice Burroughs: not only a message to the effect that the bearer came in
peace, but were also Kolk's signature.
And so, armed with my credentials and my small
arsenal, I set out alone upon my quest for the dearest
girl in this world or yours.
Kolk gave me explicit directions, though with my map
I do not believe that I could have gone wrong. As a
matter of fact I did not need the map at all, since the
principal landmark of the first half of my journey, a gi-
gantic mountainpeak, was plainly visible from Sari,
though a good hundred miles away.
Pellucidar |
