| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: addressing Allan, "it is for the purpose of giving despotic
authority to the monarch by whom these designs have been nursed,
that so many Highland Chiefs are upon the point of quarrelling
with, and drawing the sword against, their neighbours, allies,
and ancient confederates." "It is to my brother," said Allan,
"it is to the eldest son of my father's house, that the Knight of
Ardenvohr must address these remonstrances. I am, indeed, the
brother of Angus; but in being so, I am only the first of his
clansmen, and bound to show an example to the others by my
cheerful and ready obedience to his commands."
"The cause also," said Lord Menteith, interposing, "is far more
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: reading of which his face betrayed extreme annoyance.
"Forward, then!" he cried in an angry tone, sticking the papers into
the crown of his hat. "Two companies will march with me towards
Mortagne. The Chouans are there. You will accompany me," he said to
Merle and Gerard. "May be I created a nobleman if I can understand one
word of that despatch. Perhaps I'm a fool! well, anyhow, forward,
march! there's no time to lose."
"Commandant, by your leave," said Merle, kicking the cover of the
ministerial despatch with the toe of his boot, "what is there so
exasperating in that?"
"God's thunder! nothing at all--except that we are fooled."
The Chouans |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: Maroola was brave; his men seemed as reckless as their chief, and
with Lakamba's aid success seemed assured.
For the last fortnight Almayer was absorbed in the preparations,
walking amongst his workmen and slaves in a kind of waking
trance, where practical details as to the fitting out of the
boats were mixed up with vivid dreams of untold wealth, where the
present misery of burning sun, of the muddy and malodorous river
bank disappeared in a gorgeous vision of a splendid future
existence for himself and Nina. He hardly saw Nina during these
last days, although the beloved daughter was ever present in his
thoughts. He hardly took notice of Dain, whose constant presence
Almayer's Folly |
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 Twelve Stories and a Dream by H. G. Wells: There was a lengthy pause.
"Now, you'd 'ardly believe it, but all them three days I never
'ad a chance at the blessed treasure, never got out not even
a 'arf-crown. There was always a Somethink--always.
"'Stonishing thing it isn't thought of more," said Mr. Brisher.
"Finding treasure's no great shakes. It's gettin' it. I don't
suppose I slep' a wink any of those nights, thinking where I was
to take it, what I was to do with it, 'ow I was to explain it.
It made me regular ill. And days I was that dull, it made Jane
regular 'uffy. 'You ain't the same chap you was in London,' she
says, several times. I tried to lay it on 'er father and 'is Snacks,
|
