| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: from Lord Dorset (but he, poor man, has been past hanging some time
since) to yourself! Why delude you into playing Procrustes as he
does with the queen's English, racking one word till its joints be
pulled asunder, and squeezing the next all a-heap as the
Inquisitors do heretics in their banca cava? Out upon him and you,
and Sidney, and the whole kin. You have not made a verse among
you, and never will, which is not as lame a gosling as Harvey's
own--
'Oh thou weathercocke, that stands on the top of Allhallows,
Come thy ways down, if thou dar'st for thy crown, and take the wall
on us.'
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith: infectious! Didn't I see him seize your hand? Didn't I see him haul
you about like a milkmaid? And now you talk of his respect and his
modesty, forsooth!
MISS HARDCASTLE. But if I shortly convince you of his modesty, that he
has only the faults that will pass off with time, and the virtues that
will improve with age, I hope you'll forgive him.
HARDCASTLE. The girl would actually make one run mad! I tell you,
I'll not be convinced. I am convinced. He has scarce been three hours
in the house, and he has already encroached on all my prerogatives.
You may like his impudence, and call it modesty; but my son-in-law,
madam, must have very different qualifications.
She Stoops to Conquer |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Voice of the City by O. Henry: jaw went forward half an inch, and a gleam came
into his eye. He pushed back his battered bat with
one hand, and extended the other, with levelled fin-
gers, toward the lawyer. He took a long breath and
then laughed sardonically.
"Tell old Paulding he may go to the devil," he
said, loudly and clearly, and turned and walked out
of the office with a firm and lively step.
Lawyer Mead turned on his heel to Vallance and
smiled.
"I am glad you came in," he said, genially.
The Voice of the City |
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 Four Arthurian Romances by Chretien DeTroyes: give me aid and never betray me." "Willingly, sire," John makes
reply: "have never a fear on that account! For I will swear and
pledge my word that, so long as I live, I will never say a word
which I think will grieve you or cause you harm." "Ah John, even
were I to die for it, there is no man to whom I would dare
mention the matter in which I desire thy counsel; I would rather
have my eye plucked out; I would rather be put to death by thee
than that thou shouldst speak of it to another man. But I hold
thee to be so loyal and prudent that I will reveal to thee all my
thought. I am sure thou wilt observe my wishes, both by aiding
me and holding thy peace." "Truly, sire so, help me God!" Then
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