| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Maria, or the Wrongs of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft: a charge which she was determined to plead guilty to, was still
galling, as it roused bitter reflections on the situation of women
in society.
CHAPTER 17
SUCH was her state of mind when the dogs of law were let loose on
her. Maria took the task of conducting Darnford's defence upon
herself. She instructed his counsel to plead guilty to the charge
of adultery; but to deny that of seduction.
The counsel for the plaintiff opened the cause, by observing,
"that his client had ever been an indulgent husband, and had borne
with several defects of temper, while he had nothing criminal to
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Dynamiter by Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Van De Grift Stevenson: defenceless, and to collect fresh victims for the tyranny
under which he was himself oppressed, he felt sure he would
never be suffered to return. He refused both; and Aspinwall,
he said, betrayed sincere emotion, part religious, at the
spectacle of such disobedience, but part human, in pity for
my father and his family. He besought him to reconsider his
decision; and at length, finding he could not prevail, gave
him till the moon rose to settle his affairs, and say
farewell to wife and daughter. 'For,' said he, 'then, at the
latest, you must ride with me.'
I dare not dwell upon the hours that followed: they fled all
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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 When the World Shook by H. Rider Haggard: "Well," I replied at hazard, "if you were assured by someone
that a man could live for a thousand years?"
"I should tell him that he was a fool or a liar, that is all.
It is impossible."
"Or that the same identity, spirit, animating principle--call
it what you will--can flit from body to body, say in successive
ages? Or that the dead can communicate with the living?"
"Convince me of any of these things, Arbuthnot, and mind you I
desire to be convinced, and I will take back every word I have
said and walk through Fulcombe in a white sheet proclaiming
myself the fool. Now, I must get off to the Cottage Hospital to
When the World Shook |
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 All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare: thousand nothings with, should be once heard and thrice beaten.--
God save you, Captain.
BERTRAM.
Is there any unkindness between my lord and you, monsieur?
PAROLLES.
I know not how I have deserved to run into my lord's displeasure.
LAFEU.
You have made shift to run into 't, boots and spurs and all,
like him that leapt into the custard; and out of it you'll run
again, rather than suffer question for your residence.
BERTRAM.
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