| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Rescue by Joseph Conrad: of any man; yet there was also a general impression that his
knowledge was not of that nature which would make it profitable
for a moderately prudent person.
This powerful skeleton, dressed in faded blue serge and without
any kind of linen, existed anyhow. Sometimes, if offered the job,
he piloted a home ship through the Straits of Rhio, after,
however, assuring the captain:
"You don't want a pilot; a man could go through with his eyes
shut. But if you want me, I'll come. Ten dollars."
Then, after seeing his charge clear of the last island of the
group he would go back thirty miles in a canoe, with two old
The Rescue |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Art of Writing by Robert Louis Stevenson: present in all writers. The effect of words in Shakespeare,
their singular justice, significance, and poetic charm, is
different, indeed, from the effect of words in Addison or
Fielding. Or, to take an example nearer home, the words in
Carlyle seem electrified into an energy of lineament, like
the faces of men furiously moved; whilst the words in
Macaulay, apt enough to convey his meaning, harmonious enough
in sound, yet glide from the memory like undistinguished
elements in a general effect. But the first class of writers
have no monopoly of literary merit. There is a sense in
which Addison is superior to Carlyle; a sense in which Cicero
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Love and Friendship by Jane Austen: our Gentle Sensibility--we could not support it--we could only
faint. At length collecting all the Resolution I was Mistress
of, I arose and after packing up some necessary apparel for
Sophia and myself, I dragged her to a Carriage I had ordered and
we instantly set out for London. As the Habitation of Augustus
was within twelve miles of Town, it was not long e'er we arrived
there, and no sooner had we entered Holboun than letting down one
of the Front Glasses I enquired of every decent-looking Person
that we passed "If they had seen my Edward?"
But as we drove too rapidly to allow them to answer my repeated
Enquiries, I gained little, or indeed, no information concerning
Love and Friendship |
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 Men of Iron by Howard Pyle: a real lady to talk with, saving only my mother, and I do tell ye
plain methinks I would rather talk with ye than with any he in
Christendom--saving, perhaps, only my friend Gascoyne. I would I
might come hither again."
The honest frankness of his speech was irresistible; the two
girls exchanged glances and then began laughing. "Truly," said
Lady Anne, who, as was said before, was some three or four years
older than Myles, "thou art a bold lad to ask such a thing. How
wouldst thou come hither? Wouldst tumble through our clematis
arbor again, as thou didst this day?"
"Nay," said Myles, "I would not do that again, but if ye will bid
Men of Iron |
