| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Ebb-Tide by Stevenson & Osbourne: see it empty.
'You go always armed?' he said, and the next moment could
have plucked his tongue out.
'Always,' said Attwater. 'I have been through a mutiny here;
that was one of my incidents of missionary life.'
And just then the sound of voices reached them, and looking
forth from the verandah they saw Huish and the captain
drawing near.
Chapter 9. THE DINNER PARTY
They sat down to an island dinner, remarkable for its variety
and excellence; turtle soup and steak, fish, fowls, a sucking
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Chinese Boy and Girl by Isaac Taylor Headland: flower was stolen and this time by a man from the west.
When the mistress returned, she again scolded the servant,
after which she sang:
"A basin of water, another beside,
I water the flowers, they're opening wide."
This was continued until all the flowers were gone. One
had been taken by a carter, another by a donkey-driver,
another by a muleteer, another by a man on a camel, and
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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 Bickerstaff-Partridge Papers by Jonathan Swift: still about, and is pleased to call itself Partridge, Mr.
Bickerstaff does not think himself any way answerable for that.
Neither had the said carcase any right to beat the poor boy who
happen'd to pass by it in the street, crying, "A full and true
account of Dr. Partridge's death, etc."
Secondly, Mr. Partridge pretends to tell fortunes, and recover
stolen goods; which all the parish says he must do by conversing
with the devil and other evil spirits: And no wise man will ever
allow he could converse personally with either, till after he was
dead.
Thirdly, I will plainly prove him to be dead out of his own
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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 Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy: got fresh scent of the pursued, but coupled with the new condition
that the lady in the costume described had been going up the
street alone.
"Faith!--I believe she's mesmerized, or walking in her sleep,"
said Melbury.
However, the identity of this woman with Grace was by no means
certain; but they plodded along the street. Percombe, the hair-
dresser, who had despoiled Marty of her tresses, was standing at
his door, and they duly put inquiries to him.
"Ah--how's Little Hintock folk by now?" he said, before replying.
"Never have I been over there since one winter night some three
The Woodlanders |
