| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini: that he caught his breath, and stood conning her, his dark eyes
aglow.
Thus a moment, then he took the tips of her fingers in his grasp,
and bowing over the hand, pressed his lips upon it. Then he looked
at her again. The intense femininity of her lured him on, invited
him, surrendered to him. Her face was pale, there was a glitter in
her eyes, a curious smile upon her parted lips, and under its
fichu-menteur her bosom rose and fell to complete the betrayal of her.
By the hand he continued to hold, he drew her towards him. She came
unresisting. He took the candle from her, and set it down on the
sideboard by which she stood. The next moment her slight, lithe
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Pivot of Civilization by Margaret Sanger: they can do much by rapid action, and that they will most benefit the
world when they most relieve their own feelings; that as soon as an
evil is seen, `something' ought to be done to stay and prevent it.
One may incline to hope that the balance of good over evil is in favor
of benevolence; one can hardly bear to think that it is not so; but
anyhow it is certain that there is a most heavy debt of evil, and that
this burden might almost all have been spared us if philanthropists as
well as others had not inherited form their barbarous forefathers a
wild passion for instant action.''
It is customary, I believe, to defend philanthropy and charity upon
the basis of the sanctity of human life. Yet recent events in the
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Montezuma's Daughter by H. Rider Haggard: watched the Spanish camp, and seeing a Spaniard alone they came to
slay him. They very nearly did so indeed, for at first I was so
breathless that I could scarcely speak, but at last in few words I
made shift to declare my name and rank, and your sad plight. By
now the two Tlascalans were upon us, and I called to the men of the
Otomie to protect us, and falling on the Tlascalans before they
knew that enemies were there, they killed one of them and took the
other prisoner. Then they made a litter, and placing you on it,
bore you without rest twenty leagues into the mountains, till they
reached this secret hiding place, and here you have lain three days
and nights. The Teules have searched for you far and wide, but
Montezuma's Daughter |
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 Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling: Come, Little Brother!"
"My head is ringing like a bee tree," said a sullen little
voice over their heads, and Mowgli slid down a tree trunk very
angry and indignant, adding as he reached the ground: "I come for
Bagheera and not for thee, fat old Baloo!"
"That is all one to me," said Baloo, though he was hurt and
grieved. "Tell Bagheera, then, the Master Words of the Jungle
that I have taught thee this day."
"Master Words for which people?" said Mowgli, delighted to
show off. "The jungle has many tongues. I know them all."
"A little thou knowest, but not much. See, O Bagheera, they
The Jungle Book |
