| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Emma McChesney & Co. by Edna Ferber: outlined, and her hair was drawn back from her face. All this,
in spite of the fact that Miss Orton-Wells was of the limp and
fragile type, which demands ruffles, fluffiness, flowing lines
and frou-frou. Emma's glance at the suppressed Gladys was as
fleeting as it was keen, but it sufficed to bring her to a
decision. She pressed a buzzer at her desk.
"I shall be happy to have Miss Orton-Wells speak to the girls in
our shop this noon, and as often as she cares to speak. If she
can convince the girls that a--er--fixed idea in cut, color, and
style is the thing to be adopted by shop-workers I am perfectly
willing that they be convinced."
Emma McChesney & Co. |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Juana by Honore de Balzac: proceeded from a CAUSE, a particular heredity, faithfully transmitted
from mother to daughter since the middle ages. The name of this woman
was La Marana. In her family, existing solely in the female line, the
idea, person, name and power of a father had been completely unknown
since the thirteenth century. The name Marana was to her what the
designation of Stuart is to the celebrated royal race of Scotland, a
name of distinction substituted for the patronymic name by the
constant heredity of the same office devolving on the family.
Formerly, in France, Spain, and Italy, when those three countries had,
in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, mutual interests which
united and disunited them by perpetual warfare, the name Marana served
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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 Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: stood speechless, having nothing but a few weak and rotten shreds
of argument in reply. But the king's son rejoiced in spirit and
with glad countenance magnified the Lord, who had made a path,
where no path was, for them tat trusted in him, who by the mouth
of a foeman and enemy was establishing the truth; and the leader
of error had proved a defender of the right cause.
But the king, although furiously enraged with Nachor, was
nevertheless unable to do him any mischief, because of the
proclamation already read before all, wherein he urged him to
plead without fear in behalf of the Christians. So he himself
made answer in many words, and by dark speeches hinted that
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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 Trooper Peter Halket of Mashonaland by Olive Schreiner: stomach anything if you know what kind of a fellow you've got over you.
English officers are gentlemen, anyhow; or if one was under Selous now--"
"Oh, Selous's a MAN!" broke out the other two, taking their pipes from
their mouths.
"Yes, well, that's what I say. But these fellows, who couldn't do as
farmers, and couldn't do as shopkeepers, and God knows what else; and their
friends in England didn't want to have them; they're sent out here to boss
it over us! It's a damned shame! Why, I want to know, amn't I as good as
any of these fellows, who come swelling it about here? Friends got money,
I suppose!" He cast his sharp glance over towards the bell tent. "If they
gave us real English officers now--"
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