| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Underground City by Jules Verne: A hearty fellow like Jack Ryan, with so strong a constitution,
could not be long confined to his bed. A few sprains and bruises
were not quite enough to keep him on his back longer than he liked.
He had not time to be ill.
Jack, therefore, soon got well. As soon as he was on his legs again,
before resuming his work on the farm, he wished to go and visit
his friend Harry, and learn why he had not come to the Irvine
merry-making. He could not understand his absence, for Harry
was not a man who would willingly promise and not perform.
It was unlikely, too, that the son of the old overman had not
heard of the wreck of the MOTALA, as it was in all the papers.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from In the Cage by Henry James: mercifully, became, she could still, through crevices and crannies,
be stupefied, especially by what, in spite of all seasoning,
touched the sorest place in her consciousness, the revelation of
the golden shower flying about without a gleam of gold for herself.
It remained prodigious to the end, the money her fine friends were
able to spend to get still more, or even to complain to fine
friends of their own that they were in want. The pleasures they
proposed were equalled only by those they declined, and they made
their appointments often so expensively that she was left wondering
at the nature of the delights to which the mere approaches were so
paved with shillings. She quivered on occasion into the perception
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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 Duchess of Padua by Oscar Wilde: Than anything on earth; think of me, Guido,
As of a woman merely, one who tried
To make her life a sacrifice to love,
And slew love in the trial: Oh, what is that?
The bell has stopped from ringing, and I hear
The feet of armed men upon the stair.
GUIDO
[aside]
That is the signal for the guard to come.
DUCHESS
Why has the bell stopped ringing?
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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 Persuasion by Jane Austen: so far as to say--
"You were a good while at Lyme, I think?"
"About a fortnight. I could not leave it till Louisa's doing well
was quite ascertained. I had been too deeply concerned in the mischief
to be soon at peace. It had been my doing, solely mine.
She would not have been obstinate if I had not been weak.
The country round Lyme is very fine. I walked and rode a great deal;
and the more I saw, the more I found to admire."
"I should very much like to see Lyme again," said Anne.
"Indeed! I should not have supposed that you could have found
anything in Lyme to inspire such a feeling. The horror and distress
Persuasion |
