| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis: fly-paper and a dentist. They all drank whisky from tea-cups, and they were
humorous, and never listened to one another, except when W. A. Rogers "kidded"
the Italian waiter.
"Say, Gooseppy," he said innocently, "I want a couple o' fried elephants'
ears."
"Sorry, sir, we haven't any."
"Huh? No elephants' ears? What do you know about that!" Rogers turned to
Babbitt. "Pedro says the elephants' ears are all out!"
"Well, I'll be switched!" said the man from Sparta, with difficulty hiding his
laughter.
"Well, in that case, Carlo, just bring me a hunk o' steak and a couple o'
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence: feel small, and like a servant, and she accepted it without a word,
adjusting herself to the upper classes.
She came very mute, with her long, handsome face, and downcast eyes, to
administer to him. And she said very humbly: 'Shall I do this now, Sir
Clifford? Shall I do that?'
'No, leave it for a time. I'll have it done later.'
'Very well, Sir Clifford.'
'Come in again in half an hour.'
'Very well, Sir Clifford.'
'And just take those old papers out, will you?'
'Very well, Sir Clifford.'
Lady Chatterley's Lover |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Essays of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson: thwarted by a corporal of horse. And so we soon see the soldier's
mouth relax, and his shoulders imitate a relenting heart. 'EN
VOITURE, MESSIEURS, MESDAMES,' sings the Doctor; and on we go again
at a good round pace, for black care follows hard after us, and
discretion prevails not a little over valour in some timorous spirits
of the party. At any moment we may meet the sergeant, who will send
us back. At any moment we may encounter a flying shell, which will
send us somewhere farther off than Grez.
Grez - for that is our destination - has been highly recommended for
its beauty. 'IL Y A DE L'EAU,' people have said, with an emphasis,
as if that settled the question, which, for a French mind, I am
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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 Silas Marner by George Eliot: Mr. Cass's been so good to us, and built us up the new end o' the
cottage, and given us beds and things, as I couldn't abide to be
imposin' for garden-stuff or anything else."
"No, no, there's no imposin'," said Aaron; "there's never a
garden in all the parish but what there's endless waste in it for
want o' somebody as could use everything up. It's what I think to
myself sometimes, as there need nobody run short o' victuals if the
land was made the most on, and there was never a morsel but what
could find its way to a mouth. It sets one thinking o' that--
gardening does. But I must go back now, else mother 'ull be in
trouble as I aren't there."
Silas Marner |
