| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: cottage of such narrow dimensions and rude construction.
Earnscliff; attentive to his motions, no sooner perceived to what
they tended, than he sent down a number of spars of wood suitable
for forming the roof, which he caused to be left in the
neighbourhood of the spot, resolving next day to send workmen to
put them up. But his purpose was anticipated, for in the
evening, during the night, and early in the morning, the Dwarf
had laboured so hard, and with such ingenuity, that he had nearly
completed the adjustment of the rafters. His next labour was to
cut rushes and thatch his dwelling, a task which he performed
with singular dexterity.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Montezuma's Daughter by H. Rider Haggard: advance down the great street, and my heart beat at the sight of
Christian men. In front, clad in rich armour, rode their leader
Cortes, a man of middle size but noble bearing, with thoughtful
eyes that noted everything, and after him, some few on horseback
but the most of them on foot, marched his little army of
conquerors, staring about them with bold wondering eyes and jesting
to each other in Castilian. They were but a handful, bronzed with
the sun and scarred by battle, some of them ill-armed and almost in
rags, and looking on them I could not but marvel at the indomitable
courage that had enabled them to pierce their way through hostile
thousands, sickness, and war, even to the home of Montezuma's
Montezuma's Daughter |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The King of the Golden River by John Ruskin: kitchen. The water had gutted the whole first floor; corn, money,
almost every movable thing, had been swept away, and there was left
only a small white card on the kitchen table. On it, in large,
breezy, long-legged letters, were engraved the words:
SOUTH WEST WIND, ESQUIRE
CHAPTER II
OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE THREE BROTHERS
AFTER THE VISIT OF SOUTHWEST WIND, ESQUIRE;
AND HOW LITTLE GLUCK HAD AN INTERVIEW
WITH THE KING OF THE GOLDEN RIVER
Southwest Wind, Esquire, was as good as his word. After the
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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 Moby Dick by Herman Melville: Ship and boat diverged; the cold, damp night breeze blew between; a
screaming gull flew overhead; the two hulls wildly rolled; we gave
three heavy-hearted cheers, and blindly plunged like fate into the
lone Atlantic.
CHAPTER 23
The Lee Shore.
Some chapters back, one Bulkington was spoken of, a tall, newlanded
mariner, encountered in New Bedford at the inn.
When on that shivering winter's night, the Pequod thrust her
vindictive bows into the cold malicious waves, who should I see
standing at her helm but Bulkington! I looked with sympathetic awe
Moby Dick |
