| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Padre Ignacio by Owen Wister: The stranger's face reddened beneath its sun-beaten bronze, and he became
aware of the Padre's pale features, molded by refinement and the world.
"I beg your lenience," said he, with a graceful and confident utterance,
as of equal to equal. "My name is Gaston Villere, and it was time I
should be reminded of my manners."
The Padre's hand waved a polite negative.
"Indeed, yes, Padre. But your music has amazed me. If you carried such
associations as--Ah! the days and the nights!"--he broke off. "To come
down a California mountain and find Paris at the bottom! The Huguenots,
Rossini, Herold--I was waiting for Il Trovatore."
"Is that something new?" inquired the Padre, eagerly.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Venus and Adonis by William Shakespeare: He kisses her; and she, by her good will,
Will never rise, so he will kiss her still. 480
The night of sorrow now is turn'd to day:
Her two blue windows faintly she up-heaveth,
Like the fair sun, when in his fresh array
He cheers the morn, and all the world relieveth: 484
And as the bright sun glorifies the sky,
So is her face illumin'd with her eye;
Whose beams upon his hairless face are fix'd,
As if from thence they borrow'd all their shine. 488
Were never four such lamps together mix'd,
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from When a Man Marries by Mary Roberts Rinehart: setting up a flaming scare-head, "Will Money Free Them? Board of
Health versus Millionaire."
It was almost three when the house settled down--nobody had any
night clothes, although finally, through Dallas, who gave them to
Anne, who gave them to the rest, we got some things of
Jimmy's--and I was still dressed. The house was perfectly quiet,
and, after listening carefully, I went slowly down the stairs.
There was a light in the hall, and another back in the dining
room, and I got along without any trouble. But the pantry, where
the stairs led down, was dark, and the wretched swinging door
would not stay open.
|
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 Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: coffin, is the common expression for commencing a funeral.]
where sleeps your spirit, man? and what has quelled the high
hope of the Knight of Langley-dale?"
"You speak like a madman," said Ellieslaw; "do you not see how
many are absent?"
"And what of that?" said Mareschal. "Did you not know before,
that one-half of the world are better talkers than doers? For my
part, I am much encouraged by seeing at least two-thirds of our
friends true to the rendezvous, though I suspect one-half of
these came to secure the dinner in case of the worst."
"There is no news from the coast which can amount to certainty of
|
