| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Pericles by William Shakespeare: Lychorida, our nurse, is dead:
And cursed Dionyza hath
The pregnant instrument of wrath
Prest for this blow. The unborn event
I do commend to your content:
Only I carry winged time
Post on the lame feet of my rhyme;
Which never could I so convey,
Unless your thoughts went on my way.
Dionyza does appear,
With Leonine, a murderer.
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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 Red Seal by Natalie Sumner Lincoln: "Probably blew away," suggested McIntyre. "I noticed a strong
current of air from the dining room, and two of the windows
inclosing the porch were open.
"That's hardly possible," Kent replied skeptically. "The envelope
weighed at least two ounces; it would have taken quite a gale to
budge it."
McIntyre turned red. "Are you insinuating that one of us walked
off with your envelope, Kent?" he demanded angrily. Mrs. Brewster
stayed him as he was about to rise.
"Did you not say that Detective Ferguson brought you the envelope,
Mr. Kent?" she asked.
The Red Seal |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Beauty and The Beast by Bayard Taylor: other sternly whispered: "How shall your fine and delicate fibres
be knit into this coarse texture? Ignorance, which years cannot
wash away,--low instincts, what do YOU know?--all the servile
side of life, which is turned from you,--what madness to choose
this, because some current of earthly magnetism sets along your
nerves? He loves you: what of that? You are a higher being to
him, and he stupidly adores you. Think,--yes, DARE to
think of all the prosaic realities of life, shared with him!"
Miss Bartram felt herself growing dizzy. Behind the impulse which
bade her cast herself upon his breast swept such a hot wave of
shame and pain that her face burned, and she dropped her eyelids to
|
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 Kenilworth by Walter Scott: him control. But at present he showed nothing of that sullen
consciousness of authority which he was wont to conceal under a
clumsy affectation of civility and deference, as a ruffian hides
his pistols and bludgeon under his ill-fashioned gaberdine. And
yet it seemed as if his smile was more in fear than courtesy, and
as if, while he pressed the Countess to taste of the choice
cordial, which should refresh her spirits after her late alarm,
he was conscious of meditating some further injury. His hand
trembled also, his voice faltered, and his whole outward
behaviour exhibited so much that was suspicious, that his
daughter Janet, after she had stood looking at him in
Kenilworth |
