| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce: heels outside. Observing that it was the head of their leader, the
Horizontalists hastened to profess themselves converted to whatever
opinion the Crown might be pleased to hold, and Horizontalism took its
place among _fides defuncti_.
ZEUS, n. The chief of Grecian gods, adored by the Romans as Jupiter
and by the modern Americans as God, Gold, Mob and Dog. Some explorers
who have touched upon the shores of America, and one who professes to
have penetrated a considerable distance to the interior, have thought
that these four names stand for as many distinct deities, but in his
monumental work on Surviving Faiths, Frumpp insists that the natives
are monotheists, each having no other god than himself, whom he
The Devil's Dictionary |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Underground City by Jules Verne: Down in Coal Town there was perfect calm; no wind, no rain.
A soft and pleasant temperature existed instead of the strife
of the elements which raged without. What wonder then,
that excursionists from Stirling came in considerable numbers
to enjoy the calm fresh air in the recesses of the mine?
The electric discs shed a brilliancy of light which the British sun,
oftener obscured by fogs than it ought to be, might well envy.
Jack Ryan kept talking of these visitors, who passed them in noisy crowds,
but Harry paid very little attention to what he said.
"I say, do look, Harry!" cried Jack. "See what numbers of people
come to visit us! Cheer up, old fellow! Do the honors of the place
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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 Daisy Miller by Henry James: It's a great deal nicer than I thought; I thought it would
be fearfully quiet; I was sure it would be awfully poky.
I was sure we should be going round all the time with one of those
dreadful old men that explain about the pictures and things.
But we only had about a week of that, and now I'm enjoying myself.
I know ever so many people, and they are all so charming.
The society's extremely select. There are all kinds--English,
and Germans, and Italians. I think I like the English best.
I like their style of conversation. But there are some
lovely Americans. I never saw anything so hospitable.
There's something or other every day. There's not much dancing;
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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 Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift: visited by their friends, because they cannot go abroad with
their usual ease and satisfaction. However, about ten days
before their death, which they seldom fail in computing, they
return the visits that have been made them by those who are
nearest in the neighbourhood, being carried in a convenient
sledge drawn by YAHOOS; which vehicle they use, not only upon
this occasion, but when they grow old, upon long journeys, or
when they are lamed by any accident: and therefore when the
dying HOUYHNHNMS return those visits, they take a solemn leave of
their friends, as if they were going to some remote part of the
country, where they designed to pass the rest of their lives.
Gulliver's Travels |
