| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lady Susan by Jane Austen: and the kindest, most amiable action of his life was his throwing her off
for ever on her marriage. Keep up his resentment, therefore, I charge you.
We are now in a sad state; no house was ever more altered; the whole party
are at war, and Mainwaring scarcely dares speak to me. It is time for me to
be gone; I have therefore determined on leaving them, and shall spend, I
hope, a comfortable day with you in town within this week. If I am as
little in favour with Mr. Johnson as ever, you must come to me at 10
Wigmore street; but I hope this may not be the case, for as Mr. Johnson,
with all his faults, is a man to whom that great word "respectable" is
always given, and I am known to be so intimate with his wife, his slighting
me has an awkward look.
Lady Susan |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Drama on the Seashore by Honore de Balzac: man, because he's blind."
At these words, said simply, Pauline and I looked at each other
without a word; then I asked,--
"Haven't you a wife, or some good friend?"
He cast upon us one of the most lamentable glances that I ever saw as
he answered,--
"If I had a wife I must abandon my father; I could not feed him and a
wife and children too."
"Well, my poor lad, why don't you try to earn more at the salt
marshes, or by carrying the salt to the harbor?"
"Ah, monsieur, I couldn't do that work three months. I am not strong
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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 Lay Morals by Robert Louis Stevenson: speeding away northward the two tremulous bright dots of my
Lord Windermoor's chaise-lamps. Mr. Archer followed these
yellow and unsteady stars until they dwindled into points and
disappeared.
'There goes my only friend,' he said. 'Death has cut off
those that loved me, and change of fortune estranged my
flatterers; and but for you, poor bankrupt, my life is as
lonely as this moor.'
The tone of his voice affected both of them. They stood
there on the side of the moor, and became thrillingly
conscious of the void waste of the night, without a feature
|
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 Voice of the City by O. Henry: expensive and spectacular sort of which the devotees
of sport are supposed to be fond. Here again was to
be perceived the liberal and florid taste of the gen-
tleman with the urban cognomenal prefix.
A No. 10 patent leather shoe protruded a few of
its inches outside the tablecloth along the floor. The
Kid seized this and plucked forth a black man in a
white tie and the garb of a servitor.
"Get up!" commanded the Kid. "Are you in
charge of this free lunch?"
"Yes, sah, I was. Has they done pinched us ag'in,
The Voice of the City |
