| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from When the World Shook by H. Rider Haggard: his presence that even thus, with one arm round the neck of
Bickley and the other round that of Bastin, and his long white
beard falling almost to the ground, he still looked most
imposing.
Unfortunately, however, just as they were emerging from the
cave, Bastin, always the most awkward of creatures, managed to
leave hold with one hand, so that his passenger nearly came to
the ground. Never shall I forget the look that he gave him.
Indeed, I think that from this moment he hated Bastin. Bickley he
respected as a man of intelligence and learning, although in
comparison with his own, the latter was infantile and crude; me
When the World Shook |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Troll Garden and Selected Stories by Willa Cather: Eric, although he was eighteen and as tall as Nils, was always
accounted a child, being the last of so many sons. His face seemed
childlike, too, Nils thought, and he had the open, wandering eves
of a little boy. All the others had been men at his age.
After supper Nils went out to the front porch and sat down on
the step to smoke a pipe. Mrs. Ericson drew a rocking-chair up
near him and began to knit busily. It was one of the few Old World
customs she had kept up, for she could not bear to sit with idle
hands.
"Where's little Eric, Mother?"
"He's helping Hilda with the dishes. He does it of his own
The Troll Garden and Selected Stories |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Desert Gold by Zane Grey: Cameron that in spite of growing keenness he could not hinder him
from doing more than an equal share of the day's work. The man
was mild, gentle, quiet, mostly silent, yet under all his softness
he seemed to be mad of the fiber of steel. Cameron could not
thwart him. Moreover, he appeared to want to find gold for Cameron,
not for himself. Cameron's hands always trembled at the turning
of rock that promised gold; he had enough of the prospector's
passion for fortune to thrill at the chance of a strike. But the
other never showed the least trace of excitement.
One night they were encamped at the head of a canyon. They day had
been exceedingly hot, and long after sundown the radiation of heat
Desert 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 Reminiscences of Tolstoy by Leo Tolstoy: on his conscience.
MASHA'S DEATH
As I reach the description of the last days of my father's life, I
must once more make it clear that what I write is based only on the
personal impressions I received in my periodical visits to
Yásnaya Polyána.
Unfortunately, I have no rich shorthand material to rely on,
such as Gúsef and Bulgákof had for their memoirs, and
more especially Dushán Petróvitch Makowicki, who is
preparing, I am told, a big and conscientious work, full of truth
and interest.
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