| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini: pleasantly, and rose.
"I bow to your choice, mademoiselle. I pray that you may not
regret it"
"Regret it?" cried M. Binet. He was laughing, relieved to see his
daughter at last rid of this suitor of whom he had never approved,
if we except those few hours when he really believed him to be an
eccentric of distinction. "And what shall she regret? That she
accepted the protection of a nobleman so powerful and wealthy that
as a mere trinket he gives her a jewel worth as much as an actress
earns in a year at the Comedie Francaise?" He got up, and advanced
towards Andre-Louis. His mood became conciliatory. "Come, come,
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift: below."
The sum of his discourse was to this effect: "That about forty
years ago, certain persons went up to Laputa, either upon
business or diversion, and, after five months continuance, came
back with a very little smattering in mathematics, but full of
volatile spirits acquired in that airy region: that these
persons, upon their return, began to dislike the management of
every thing below, and fell into schemes of putting all arts,
sciences, languages, and mechanics, upon a new foot. To this
end, they procured a royal patent for erecting an academy of
projectors in Lagado; and the humour prevailed so strongly among
Gulliver's Travels |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson: R. L. S.
- Did I say I had seen a verse on two of the Buccaneers? I did,
and CA-Y-EST.
Letter: TO EDMUND GOSSE
STOBO MANSE, PEEBLESSHIRE [JULY 1882].
I would shoot you, but I have no bow:
The place is not called Stobs, but Stobo.
As Gallic Kids complain of 'Bobo,'
I mourn for your mistake of Stobo.
First, we shall be gone in September. But if you think of coming
in August, my mother will hunt for you with pleasure. We should
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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 A Heap O' Livin' by Edgar A. Guest: My Paw said so.
You can think what you like, but I stick to it
when
My Paw said so.
An' I'll keep right on sayin', again an' again,
My Paw said so.
Maybe foxes don't talk to such people as you,
An' bears never show you the tricks they can do,
But I know that the stories I'm tellin' are true,
My Paw said so.
LIFE'S TESTS
A Heap O' Livin' |
