| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: again, it's such fun to watch people), and asked me to come
and see her at her room. She has fine books and pictures,
knows interesting persons, and seems friendly, so I shall make
myself agreeable, for I do want to get into good society, only
it isn't the same sort that Amy likes.
I was in our parlor last evening when Mr. Bhaer came in
with some newspapers for Mrs. Kirke. She wasn't there, but
Minnie, who is a little old woman, introduced me very prettily.
"This is Mamma's friend, Miss March."
"Yes, and she's jolly and we like her lots," added Kitty,
who is and `enfant terrible'.
Little Women |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Malbone: An Oldport Romance by Thomas Wentworth Higginson: sent him further into revery. "How is it," he asked himself,
"that when I only sought to love and be loved, I have thus
entangled myself in the fate of others? How is one's heart to
be governed? Is there any such governing? Mlle. Clairon
complained that, so soon as she became seriously attached to
any one, she was sure to meet somebody else whom she liked
better. Have human hearts," he said, "or at least, has my
heart, no more stability than this?"
It did not help the matter when Emilia went to stay awhile with
Mrs. Meredith. The event came about in this way. Hope and Kate
had been to a dinner-party, and were as usual reciting their
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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 Massimilla Doni by Honore de Balzac: Beethoven, on your knees! Here is the queen of arts, Italy
triumphant!"
The Duchess had spoken while the curtain was being raised. And now the
physician heard the sublime symphony with which the composer
introduces the great Biblical drama. It is to express the sufferings
of a whole nation. Suffering is uniform in its expression, especially
physical suffering. Thus, having instinctively felt, like all men of
genius, that here there must be no variety of idea, the musician,
having hit on his leading phrase, has worked it out in various keys,
grouping the masses and the dramatis personae to take up the theme
through modulations and cadences of admirable structure. In such
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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 The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart: the sounds approached, I could even hear what they said.
"Watch the end staircases!" Jamieson was shouting. "Damnation--
there's no light here!" And then a second later. "All together
now. One--two--three--"
The door into the trunk-room had been locked from the inside. At
the second that it gave, opening against the wall with a crash
and evidently tumbling somebody into the room, the stealthy
fingers beyond the mantel-door gave the knob the proper impetus,
and--the door swung open, and closed again. Only--and Liddy
always screams and puts her fingers in her ears at this point--
only now I was not alone in the chimney room. There was some one
The Circular Staircase |
