| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy: reckless misadventurer; but the leaden gloom of one who has
lost all that can make life interesting, or even tolerable.
There would remain nobody for him to be proud of, nobody to
fortify him; for Elizabeth-Jane would soon be but as a
stranger, and worse. Susan, Farfrae, Lucetta, Elizabeth--
all had gone from him, one after one, either by his fault or
by his misfortune.
In place of them he had no interest, hobby, or desire. If
he could have summoned music to his aid his existence might
even now have been borne; for with Henchard music was of
regal power. The merest trumpet or organ tone was enough to
The Mayor of Casterbridge |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde: SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. Arthur, I couldn't tell my wife. When could I
have told her? Not last night. It would have made a life-long
separation between us, and I would have lost the love of the one
woman in the world I worship, of the only woman who has ever stirred
love within me. Last night it would have been quite impossible. She
would have turned from me in horror . . . in horror and in contempt.
LORD GORING. Is Lady Chiltern as perfect as all that?
SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. Yes; my wife is as perfect as all that.
LORD GORING. [Taking off his left-hand glove.] What a pity! I beg
your pardon, my dear fellow, I didn't quite mean that. But if what
you tell me is true, I should like to have a serious talk about life
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence: evolution would eliminate this performance, this 'function'.
And yet when he had finished, soon over, and lay very very still,
receding into silence, and a strange motionless distance, far, farther
than the horizon of her awareness, her heart began to weep. She could
feel him ebbing away, ebbing away, leaving her there like a stone on a
shore. He was withdrawing, his spirit was leaving her. He knew.
And in real grief, tormented by her own double consciousness and
reaction, she began to weep. He took no notice, or did not even know.
The storm of weeping swelled and shook her, and shook him.
'Ay!' he said. 'It was no good that time. You wasn't there.'--So he
knew! Her sobs became violent.
Lady Chatterley's Lover |
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 Odyssey by Homer: see quickly and with joy the day of thy returning, even if
thou art from a very far country. If but her heart be
kindly disposed toward thee, then is there hope that thou
shalt see thy friends, and come to thy well-builded house,
and to thine own country.'
She spake, and smote the mules with the shining whip, and
quickly they left behind them the streams of the river. And
well they trotted and well they paced, and she took heed to
drive in such wise that the maidens and Odysseus might
follow on foot, and cunningly she plied the lash. Then the
sun set, and they came to the famous grove, the sacred
The Odyssey |
