| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Georgics by Virgil: Euphrates here, here Germany new strife
Is stirring; neighbouring cities are in arms,
The laws that bound them snapped; and godless war
Rages through all the universe; as when
The four-horse chariots from the barriers poured
Still quicken o'er the course, and, idly now
Grasping the reins, the driver by his team
Is onward borne, nor heeds the car his curb.
GEORGIC II
Thus far the tilth of fields and stars of heaven;
Now will I sing thee, Bacchus, and, with thee,
Georgics |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lady Baltimore by Owen Wister: hovering of General Rieppe.
"That's why!" I said to myself aloud, suddenly, at my open window.
Immediately, however, I added, "but can it be?" And in my mind a whole
little edifice of reasons for Hortense's apparent determination to marry
John instantly fabricated itself--and then fell down.
Through John she was triumphantly bringing stiff Kings Port to her, was
forcing them to accept her. But this was scarce enough temptation for
Hortense to marry; she could do very well without Kings Port--indeed, she
was not very likely to show herself in it, save to remind them, now and
then, that she was there, and that they could not keep her out any more;
this might amuse her a little, but the society itself would not amuse her
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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 Awakening & Selected Short Stories by Kate Chopin: of his white wrist. A quick impulse that was somewhat spasmodic
impelled her fingers to close in a sort of clutch upon his hand.
He felt the pressure of her pointed nails in the flesh of his palm.
She arose hastily and walked toward the mantel.
"The sight of a wound or scar always agitates and sickens me,"
she said. "I shouldn't have looked at it."
"I beg your pardon," he entreated, following her; "it never
occurred to me that it might be repulsive."
He stood close to her, and the effrontery in his eyes repelled
the old, vanishing self in her, yet drew all her awakening
sensuousness. He saw enough in her face to impel him to take her
Awakening & Selected Short Stories |
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 Taras Bulba and Other Tales by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol: is pleased or angry; even if he is rejoiced at anything, he will not
show it. Ivan Ivanovitch is of a rather timid character: Ivan
Nikiforovitch, on the contrary, has, as the saying is, such full folds
in his trousers that if you were to inflate them you might put the
courtyard, with its storehouses and buildings, inside them.
Ivan Ivanovitch has large, expressive eyes, of a snuff colour, and a
mouth shaped something like the letter V; Ivan Nikiforovitch has
small, yellowish eyes, quite concealed between heavy brows and fat
cheeks; and his nose is the shape of a ripe plum. If Ivanovitch treats
you to snuff, he always licks the cover of his box first with his
tongue, then taps on it with his finger and says, as he raises it, if
Taras Bulba and Other Tales |
