| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell: with wonder that she, Scarlett O'Hara, who could never rest well
except between linen sheets and on the softest of feather beds, had
slept like a field hand on hard planks.
Blinking in the sunlight, her eyes fell on Melanie and she gasped,
horrified. Melanie lay so still and white Scarlett thought she
must be dead. She looked dead. She looked like a dead, old woman
with her ravaged face and her dark hair snarled and tangled across
it. Then Scarlett saw with relief the faint rise and fall of her
shallow breathing and knew that Melanie had survived the night.
Scarlett shaded her eyes with her hand and looked about her. They
had evidently spent the night under the trees in someone's front
Gone With the Wind |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Black Beauty by Anna Sewell: Many folks would have ridden by and said it was not their business
to interfere. Now I say that with cruelty and oppression it is
everybody's business to interfere when they see it; you did right, my boy."
Joe was quite calm by this time, and proud that John approved of him,
and cleaned out my feet and rubbed me down with a firmer hand than usual.
They were just going home to dinner when the footman came down to the stable
to say that Joe was wanted directly in master's private room;
there was a man brought up for ill-using horses, and Joe's evidence
was wanted. The boy flushed up to his forehead, and his eyes sparkled.
"They shall have it," said he.
"Put yourself a bit straight," said John. Joe gave a pull at his necktie
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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 A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift: 12 pounds, and in a solar year, if tolerably nursed, encreaseth
to 28 pounds.
I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very
proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of
the parents, seem to have the best title to the children.
Infant's flesh will be in season throughout the year, but more
plentiful in March, and a little before and after; for we are
told by a grave author, an eminent French physician, that fish
being a prolifick dyet, there are more children born in Roman
Catholick countries about nine months after Lent, the markets
will be more glutted than usual, because the number of Popish
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 King James Bible: and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.
DEU 32:44 And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the
ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun.
DEU 32:45 And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all
Israel:
DEU 32:46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words
which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children
to observe to do, all the words of this law.
DEU 32:47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life:
and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither
ye go over Jordan to possess it.
King James Bible |
