| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton by Edith Wharton: devil's bait of yours--" His eye fell on Polixena, and his voice
softened unaccountably. "Ah, well, we must all see the Carnival
once, I suppose," he said. "All's well that ends well, as the
fellow says in the play; and now, if you please, Mr. Bracknell,
if you'll take the reverend gentleman's arm there, we'll bid
adieu to our hospitable entertainers, and right about face for
the Hepzibah."
The End of A Venetian Night's Entertainment
XINGU
December, 1911
Mrs. Ballinger is one of the ladies who pursue Culture in bands,
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Weir of Hermiston by Robert Louis Stevenson: "He spoke most kindly and truly."
"What like did he say?"
"I am not going to tell you; you have nothing to do with that," cried
Archie, startled to find he had admitted so much.
"O, I have naething to do with it!" she repeated, springing to her feet.
"A'body at Hermiston's free to pass their opinions upon me, but I have
naething to do wi' it! Was this at prayers like? Did ye ca' the grieve
into the consultation? Little wonder if a'body's talking, when ye make
a'body yer confidants! But as you say, Mr. Weir, - most kindly, most
considerately, most truly, I'm sure, - I have naething to do with it.
And I think I'll better be going. I'll be wishing you good evening, Mr.
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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 Virginian by Owen Wister: not tell on him either."
I still tried it, saying, "They were all in the same boat." But
logic was useless; he had lost his bearings in a fog of
sentiment. He knew, knew passionately, that he had done right;
but the silence of his old friend to him through those last hours
left a sting that no reasoning could assuage. "He told good-by to
the rest of the boys; but not to me." And nothing that I could
point out in common sense turned him from the thread of his own
argument. He worked round the circle again to self-justification.
"Was it him I was deserting? Was not the deserting done by him
the day I spoke my mind about stealing calves? I have kept my
The Virginian |
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 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne: I thought that a mountainous region was succeeding the long plains;
and accordingly, after a few evolutions of the Nautilus, I saw the southerly
horizon blocked by a high wall which seemed to close all exit.
Its summit evidently passed the level of the ocean. It must be a continent,
or at least an island--one of the Canaries, or of the Cape Verde Islands.
The bearings not being yet taken, perhaps designedly, I was ignorant
of our exact position. In any case, such a wall seemed to me to mark
the limits of that Atlantis, of which we had in reality passed over only
the smallest part.
Much longer should I have remained at the window admiring
the beauties of sea and sky, but the panels closed. At this moment
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea |
