| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini: of the letter in his boot which Sunderland had given him for Monmouth
in the hour of panic. Monmouth's cavalier treatment of him when he had
arrived in Bridgwater had precluded his delivering that letter at the
council. There was never another opportunity, nor did he again think
of the package in the stressful hours that followed. It was not until
the following morning that he suddenly remembered it lay undelivered,
and bethought him that it might prove a weapon to win him delivery from
the dangers that encompassed him.
"It was a slender chance," he told her, "but I employed it. I waited in
London, in hiding, close upon a fortnight ere I had an opportunity of
seeing Sunderland. He laughed me to scorn at first, and threatened me
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lady Susan by Jane Austen: herself there I do not know. There are plenty of books, but it is not every
girl who has been running wild the first fifteen years of her life, that
can or will read. Poor creature! the prospect from her window is not very
instructive, for that room overlooks the lawn, you know, with the shrubbery
on one side, where she may see her mother walking for an hour together in
earnest conversation with Reginald. A girl of Frederica's age must be
childish indeed, if such things do not strike her. Is it not inexcusable to
give such an example to a daughter? Yet Reginald still thinks Lady Susan
the best of mothers, and still condemns Frederica as a worthless girl! He
is convinced that her attempt to run away proceeded from no, justifiable
cause, and had no provocation. I am sure I cannot say that it HAD, but
Lady Susan |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Options by O. Henry: dun,' says I.
"Shane and McClintock and me mounted our mules and rode across the
rawhide bridge just as the Peches reached the other side and began
firing stones and long knives at us. We cut the thongs that held up
our end of the bridge and headed for the coast."
A tall, bulky policeman came into Finch's
shop at that moment and leaned an elbow on the showcase. Finch nodded
at him friendly.
"I heard down at Casey's," said the cop, in rumbling, husky tones,
"that there was going to be a picnic of the Hat-Cleaners' Union over
at Bergen Beach, Sunday. Is that right?"
Options |
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 Crisis in Russia by Arthur Ransome: and the power station, have been repaired, the tramway was
working, and, after Moscow, the town seemed clean, but
plenty of ruins remained as memorials of that wanton and
unjustifiable piece of folly which, it was supposed, would be
the signal for a general rising.
We drove to the Hotel Bristol, now the headquarters of
the Jaroslavl Executive Committee, where Rostopchin, the
president, discussed with Larin and Radek the programme
arranged for the conference. It was then proposed that we
should have something to eat, when a very curious state of
affairs (and one extremely Russian) was revealed. Rostopchin
|
