| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Records of a Family of Engineers by Robert Louis Stevenson: pudding substituted and uncovered; and of my grandmother's
anxious glance and hasty, deprecatory comment, `Just
mismanaged!' Yet with the invincible obstinacy of soft
natures, she would adhere to the godly woman and the Christian
man, or find others of the same kidney to replace them. One
of her confidants had once a narrow escape; an unwieldy old
woman, she had fallen from an outside stair in a close of the
Old Town; and my grandmother rejoiced to communicate the
providential circumstance that a baker had been passing
underneath with his bread upon his head. `I would like to
know what kind of providence the baker thought it!' cried my
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Love and Friendship by Jane Austen: perfectly agreed with her in the Justice of her Sentiments the
Postilion was instantly directed to return into the Country. You
may perhaps have been somewhat surprised my Dearest Marianne,
that in the Distress I then endured, destitute of any support,
and unprovided with any Habitation, I should never once have
remembered my Father and Mother or my paternal Cottage in the
Vale of Uske. To account for this seeming forgetfullness I must
inform you of a trifling circumstance concerning them which I
have as yet never mentioned. The death of my Parents a few weeks
after my Departure, is the circumstance I allude to. By their
decease I became the lawfull Inheritress of their House and
Love and Friendship |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from McTeague by Frank Norris: McTeague was on one of the top floors of the music store,
where the second-hand instruments were kept, helping to move
about and rearrange some old pianos. As he passed by one of
the counters he paused abruptly, his eye caught by an object
that was strangely familiar.
"Say," he inquired, addressing the clerk in charge, "say,
where'd this come from?"
"Why, let's see. We got that from a second-hand store up on
Polk Street, I guess. It's a fairly good machine; a little
tinkering with the stops and a bit of shellac, and we'll
make it about's good as new. Good tone. See." And the
McTeague |
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 Camille by Alexandre Dumas: We had come to the cemetery gate. I thanked the gardener again,
putting a few coins into his hand, and made my way to the address
he had given me.
Armand had not yet returned. I left word for him, begging him to
come and see me as soon as he arrived, or to send me word where I
could find him.
Next day, in the morning, I received a letter from Duval, telling
me of his return, and asking me to call on him, as he was so worn
out with fatigue that it was impossible for him to go out.
Chapter 6
I found Armand in bed. On seeing me he held out a burning hand.
Camille |
