| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tom Sawyer Abroad by Mark Twain: bird right alongside, not ten foot off, going our way
and trying to keep up, but losing ground all the time;
and a railroad train doing the same thing down there,
sliding among the trees and farms, and pouring out a
long cloud of black smoke and now and then a little
puff of white; and when the white was gone so long
you had almost forgot it, you would hear a little faint
toot, and that was the whistle. And we left the bird
and the train both behind, 'WAY behind, and done it
easy, too.
But Tom he was huffy, and said me and Jim was a
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Droll Stories, V. 1 by Honore de Balzac: while Philippe, wild with rage that closed his mouth, because he saw
his plans ending in smoke, gave the archbishop to more devils than
ever were monks alive. Thus they got halfway through the repast, which
the young priest had not yet touched, hungering only for Imperia, near
whom he was already seated, but speaking that sweet language which the
ladies so well understand, that has neither stops, commas, accents,
letters, figures, characters, notes, nor images. The fat bishop,
sensual and careful enough of the sleek, ecclesiastical garment of
skin for which he was indebted to his late mother, allowed himself to
be plentifully served with hippocras by the delicate hand of Madame,
and it was just at his first hiccough that the sound of an approaching
Droll Stories, V. 1 |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Professor by Charlotte Bronte: equality)--I say it was impossible for me to be thus situated and
not feel the angel or the demon of my race at work within me. I
followed my instinct, opposed a tyrant, and broke a chain."
Now this speech interested me much, both because it brought out
Hunsden's character, and because it explained his motives; it
interested me so much that I forgot to reply to it, and sat
silent, pondering over a throng of ideas it had suggested.
"Are you grateful to me?" he asked, presently.
In fact I was grateful, or almost so, and I believe I half liked
him at the moment, notwithstanding his proviso that what he had
done was not out of regard for me. But human nature is perverse.
The Professor |
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 The Light of Western Stars by Zane Grey: "The natives of this village near where we camped were in a
terrorized state owing to depredations of two or more man-eaters.
The night of our arrival a lion leaped a stockade fence, seized a
native from among others sitting round a fire, and leaped out
again, carrying the screaming fellow away into the darkness. I
determined to kill these lions, and made a permanent camp in the
village for that purpose. By day I sent beaters into the brush
and rocks of the river-valley, and by night I watched. Every
night the lions visited us, but I did not see one. I discovered
that when they roared around the camp they were not so liable to
attack as when they were silent. It was indeed remarkable how
The Light of Western Stars |
