Today's Stichomancy for Noah Wyle
| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from My Bondage and My Freedom by Frederick Douglass: difficulty was, to keep warm during the night. I had no bed.
The pigs in the pen had leaves, and the horses in the stable had
straw, but the children had no beds. They lodged anywhere in the
ample kitchen. I slept, generally, in a little closet, without
even a blanket to cover me. In very cold weather. I sometimes
got down the bag in which corn<104>meal was usually carried to
the mill, and crawled into that. Sleeping there, with my head in
and feet out, I was partly protected, though not comfortable. My
feet have been so cracked with the frost, that the pen with which
I am writing might be laid in the gashes. The manner of taking
our meals at old master's, indicated but little refinement. Our
My Bondage and My Freedom |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Persuasion by Jane Austen: The baronet, nevertheless, is not unlikely to marry again;
he is quite fool enough. If he does, however, they will leave me in peace,
which may be a decent equivalent for the reversion. He is worse
than last year.
"I wish I had any name but Elliot. I am sick of it. The name of Walter
I can drop, thank God! and I desire you will never insult me
with my second W. again, meaning, for the rest of my life,
to be only yours truly,--Wm. Elliot."
Such a letter could not be read without putting Anne in a glow;
and Mrs Smith, observing the high colour in her face, said--
"The language, I know, is highly disrespectful. Though I have forgot
Persuasion |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: Tiber for it; - but thou art a seduced, and a seducing slut; and
albeit thou cheatest us seven times a day with thy pictures and
images, yet with so many charms dost thou do it, and thou deckest
out thy pictures in the shapes of so many angels of light, 'tis a
shame to break with thee.
When we had got to the door of the Remise, she withdrew her hand
from across her forehead, and let me see the original: - it was a
face of about six-and-twenty, - of a clear transparent brown,
simply set off without rouge or powder; - it was not critically
handsome, but there was that in it, which, in the frame of mind I
was in, attached me much more to it, - it was interesting: I
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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 Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: the door began to creak.--I wish the smith would give a peep at that
confounded hinge.--'Tis nothing, an please your honour, said Trim, but two
mortars I am bringing in.--They shan't make a clatter with them here, cried
my father hastily.--If Dr. Slop has any drugs to pound, let him do it in
the kitchen.--May it please your honour, cried Trim, they are two mortar-
pieces for a siege next summer, which I have been making out of a pair of
jack-boots, which Obadiah told me your honour had left off wearing.--By
Heaven! cried my father, springing out of his chair, as he swore--I have
not one appointment belonging to me, which I set so much store by as I do
by these jack-boots--they were our great grandfather's brother Toby--they
were hereditary. Then I fear, quoth my uncle Toby, Trim has cut off the
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