| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy: "Yes," answered Venn, swerving round in obedience; and,
after a pause, "I wish you would tell me what this great
trouble is. I think you have proved that I can be trusted."
"There are some things that cannot be--cannot be told to--"
And then her heart rose into her throat, and she could say
no more.
9 - Sights and Sounds Draw the Wanderers Together
Having seen Eustacia's signal from the hill at eight
o'clock, Wildeve immediately prepared to assist her
in her flight, and, as he hoped, accompany her. He was
somewhat perturbed, and his manner of informing Thomasin
Return of the Native |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson: before the romance of destiny.
R. L. S.
Vailima, Upolu,
Samoa, 1892.
CATRIONA - Part I - THE LORD ADVOCATE
CHAPTER I - A BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK
THE 25th day of August, 1751, about two in the afternoon, I, David
Balfour, came forth of the British Linen Company, a porter attending me
with a bag of money, and some of the chief of these merchants bowing me
from their doors. Two days before, and even so late as yestermorning,
I was like a beggar-man by the wayside, clad in rags, brought down to
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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 The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie: straightforward manner that it had never occurred to me to doubt
her sincerity. Still, I had a great respect for Poirot's
sagacity--except on the occasions when he was what I described to
myself as "foolishly pig-headed."
"Do you really think so?" I asked. "Miss Howard had always
seemed to me so essentially honest--almost uncomfortably so."
Poirot gave me a curious look, which I could not quite fathom.
He seemed to speak, and then checked himself.
"Miss Murdoch too," I continued, "there's nothing untruthful
about *HER."
"No. But it was strange that she never heard a sound, sleeping
The Mysterious Affair at Styles |
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 A House of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde: And after the second year was over, the Soul came down to the shore
of the sea, and called to the young Fisherman, and he rose out of
the deep and said, 'Why dost thou call to me?'
And the Soul answered, 'Come nearer, that I may speak with thee,
for I have seen marvellous things.'
So he came nearer, and couched in the shallow water, and leaned his
head upon his hand and listened.
And the Soul said to him, 'When I left thee, I turned my face to
the South and journeyed. From the South cometh everything that is
precious. Six days I journeyed along the highways that lead to the
city of Ashter, along the dusty red-dyed highways by which the
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