| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Little Britain by Washington Irving: company, yet they had double the number, and were twice as
merry.
The whole community has at length divided itself into
fashionable factions, under the banners of these two families.
The old games of Pope-Joan and Tom-come-tickle-me are
entirely discarded; there is no such thing as getting up an
honest country dance; and on my attempting to kiss a young
lady under the mistletoe last Christmas, I was indignantly
repulsed; the Miss Lambs having pronounced it "shocking
vulgar." Bitter rivalry has also broken out as to the most
fashionable part of Little Britain; the Lambs standing up for the
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Royalty Restored/London Under Charles II by J. Fitzgerald Molloy: a servant-maid setting a clothes-press on fire in the house of
her master, situated in Fetter Lane. Two vile Irishmen were to
feed the flames, and meanwhile the catholics would rise in
rebellion, and, assisted by an army of sixty thousand French
soldiers, kill the king, and put all protestants to the sword.
Though this tale was in due time discredited, yet it served its
purpose in the present. The violent alarm it caused had not
subsided when another terrible story, started on the excellent
authority of Lord Shaftesbury's cook, added a new terror. This
stated the Duke of York had placed himself at the head of the
French troops, with intention of landing in England, murdering
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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 1984 by George Orwell: 'Thass better,' she said, leaning back with closed eyes. 'Never keep it
down, thass what I say. Get it up while it's fresh on your stomach, like.'
She revived, turned to have another look at Winston and seemed immediately
to take a fancy to him. She put a vast arm round his shoulder and drew him
towards her, breathing beer and vomit into his face.
'Wass your name, dearie?' she said.
'Smith,' said Winston.
'Smith?' said the woman. 'Thass funny. My name's Smith too. Why,' she
added sentimentally, 'I might be your mother!'
She might, thought Winston, be his mother. She was about the right age and
physique, and it was probable that people changed somewhat after twenty
1984 |
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 Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: cry out against me, Whence comes this man's right to this apple? ex
confesso, he will say--things were in a state of nature--The apple, is as
much Frank's apple as John's. Pray, Mr. Shandy, what patent has he to shew
for it? and how did it begin to be his? was it, when he set his heart upon
it? or when he gathered it? or when he chew'd it? or when he roasted it? or
when he peel'd, or when he brought it home? or when he digested?--or when
he--?--For 'tis plain, Sir, if the first picking up of the apple, made it
not his--that no subsequent act could.
Brother Didius, Tribonius will answer--(now Tribonius the civilian and
church lawyer's beard being three inches and a half and three eighths
longer than Didius his beard--I'm glad he takes up the cudgels for me, so I
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