| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Silas Marner by George Eliot: disinclined to act officially; and so poor Silas, furnished with
some old coverings, turned out with his two companions into the rain
again, thinking of the long night-hours before him, not as those do
who long to rest, but as those who expect to "watch for the
morning".
CHAPTER VIII
When Godfrey Cass returned from Mrs. Osgood's party at midnight, he
was not much surprised to learn that Dunsey had not come home.
Perhaps he had not sold Wildfire, and was waiting for another chance--
perhaps, on that foggy afternoon, he had preferred housing
himself at the Red Lion at Batherley for the night, if the run had
Silas Marner |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The White Moll by Frank L. Packard: place? Had the Sparrow - She would not let her mind frame that
question in concrete words. The Sparrow! His real name was Martin,
Martin Finch - Marty, for short. Times without number she had
visited the sick and widowed mother - while the Sparrow had served
a two-years' sentence for his first conviction in safe-breaking.
The Sparrow, from a first-class chauffeur mechanic, had showed signs
of becoming a first-class cracksman, it was true; but the Sparrow
was young, and she had never believed that he was inherently bad.
Her opinion had been confirmed when, some six months ago, on his
release, listening both to her own pleadings and to those of his
mother, the Sparrow had sworn that he would stick to the "straight
|
| 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: of mind releived me from it by saying--"My dear Sophia be not
uneasy at having exposed yourself--I will turn the Conversation
without appearing to notice it. "Oh! how I loved her for her
kindness!" Do you ride as much as you used to do?" said she--.
"I am advised to ride by my Physician. We have delightful Rides
round us, I have a Charming horse, am uncommonly fond of the
Amusement, replied I quite recovered from my Confusion, and in
short I ride a great deal." "You are in the right my Love," said
she. Then repeating the following line which was an extempore
and equally adapted to recommend both Riding and Candour--
"Ride where you may, Be Candid where you can," she added," I rode
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 Youth by Joseph Conrad: the galley, the cook's berth, and the quarters of the
crew. As we had expected for days to see it swept away,
the hands had been ordered to sleep in the cabin--the
only safe place in the ship. The steward, Abraham,
however, persisted in clinging to his berth, stupidly, like
a mule--from sheer fright I believe, like an animal that
on't leave a stable falling in an earthquake. So we
went to look for him. It was chancing death, since once
out of our lashings we were as exposed as if on a raft.
But we went. The house was shattered as if a shell had
exploded inside. Most of it had gone overboard--stove,
Youth |
