| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Light of Western Stars by Zane Grey: "Oh, what have you done?"
"Now, see here, Flo, I only--"
"I don't want to know. I'd tell it. Gene, aren't you ever going
to learn decency? Aren't you ever going to stop drinking?
You'll lose all your friends. Stillwell has stuck to you. Al's
been your best friend. Molly and I have pleaded with you, and
now you've gone and done--God knows what!"
"What do women want to wear veils for?" he growled. "I'd have
known her but for that veil."
"And you wouldn't have insulted her. But you would the next girl
who came along. Gene, you are hopeless. Now, you get out of
The Light of Western Stars |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The King of the Golden River by John Ruskin: looked in. Yes, he saw right; it seemed to be coming not only out
of the furnace but out of the pot. He uncovered it, and ran back in
a great fright, for the pot was certainly singing! He stood in the
farthest corner of the room, with his hands up and his mouth open,
for a minute or two, when the singing stopped and the voice became
clear and pronunciative.
"Hollo!" said the voice.
Gluck made no answer.
"Hollo! Gluck, my boy," said the pot again.
Gluck summoned all his energies, walked straight up to the
crucible, drew it out of the furnace, and looked in. The gold was
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Arrow of Gold by Joseph Conrad: charming lady and spent most of the afternoon talking with her."
Dona Rita raised her head.
"A lady! Women seem such mysterious creatures to me. I don't know
them. Did you abuse her? Did she - how did you say that? - unfold
her petals, too? Was she really and truly . . .?"
"She is simply perfection in her way and the conversation was by no
means banal. I fancy that if your late parrot had heard it, he
would have fallen off his perch. For after all, in that Allegre
Pavilion, my dear Rita, you were but a crowd of glorified
bourgeois."
She was beautifully animated now. In her motionless blue eyes like
The Arrow of Gold |
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 Koran: shall meet with a penalty; doubled for him shall be the torment on the
resurrection day, and he shall be therein for aye despised. Save he
who turns again and believes and does a righteous work; for, as to
those, God will change their evil deeds to good, for God is ever
forgiving, merciful.
And he who turns again and does right, verily, he turns again to God
repentant.
And those who do not testify falsely; and when they pass by
frivolous discourse, pass by it honourably; and those who when they
are reminded of the signs of their Lord do not fall down thereat
deaf and blind; and those who say, 'Our Lord! grant us from our
The Koran |
