| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: to Dalgetty's face, while he perused his features with the most
heedful and grave attention.
"By my honour," said Dalgetty, half displeased, as, mysteriously
shaking his head, Allan gave up the scrutiny--"I trow that lad
and I will ken each other when we meet again."
Meanwhile Allan strode to the bottom of the table, and having, by
the aid of his lamp, subjected Anderson and his companion to the
same investigation, stood a moment as if in deep reflection;
then, touching his forehead, suddenly seized Anderson by the arm,
and before he could offer any effectual resistance, half led and
half dragged him to the vacant seat at the upper end, and having
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Confidence by Henry James: looking at her with a singular mixture of earnestness and jocosity.
It was hard to know whether Blanche were expressing a real desire
or a momentary caprice, and whether this abrupt little petition
were to be taken seriously, or treated merely as a dramatic pose
in a series of more or less effective attitudes. Her smile had become
almost a grimace, she was flushed, she showed her pretty teeth;
but there was a little passionate quiver in her voice.
"My dear child," said Mrs. Vivian, "we should be delighted to have you
pay us a visit, and we should be so happy if we could do you any good.
But I am afraid you would very soon get tired of us, and I ought
to tell you, frankly, that our little home is to be--a broken up.
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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 Love and Friendship by Jane Austen: tempered when she has her own way, and very lively when she is
not out of humour. She is naturally extravagant and not very
affected; she never reads anything but the letters she receives
from me, and never writes anything but her answers to them. She
plays, sings and Dances, but has no taste for either, and excells
in none, tho' she says she is passionately fond of all. Perhaps
you may flatter me so far as to be surprised that one of whom I
speak with so little affection should be my particular freind;
but to tell you the truth, our freindship arose rather from
Caprice on her side than Esteem on mine. We spent two or three
days together with a Lady in Berkshire with whom we both happened
Love and Friendship |
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 Two Noble Kinsmen by William Shakespeare: before him: like true lovers, cast your selves in a Body
decently,
and sweetly, by a figure trace and turne, Boyes.
1. COUNTREYMAN.
And sweetly we will doe it Master Gerrold.
2. COUNTREYMAN.
Draw up the Company. Where's the Taborour?
3. COUNTREYMAN.
Why, Timothy!
TABORER.
Here, my mad boyes, have at ye.
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