| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Little Rivers by Henry van Dyke: him with a quick, steady sweep of the arm. The scales credit him
with an even pound, and a better fish than this you will hardly
take here in midsummer.
"On my word, master," says the appreciative Venator, in Walton's
Angler, "this is a gallant trout; what shall we do with him?" And
honest Piscator, replies: "Marry! e'en eat him to supper; we'll go
to my hostess from whence we came; she told me, as I was going out
of door, that my brother Peter, [and who is this but Romeyn of
Keeseville?] a good angler and a cheerful companion, had sent word
he would lodge there tonight, and bring a friend with him. My
hostess has two beds, and I know you and I have the best; we'll
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lemorne Versus Huell by Elizabeth Drew Stoddard: on the alert for the Uxbridge family carriage that she could have
had little enjoyment of the ride. Rocks never were a passion with
her, she said, nor promontories, chasms, or sand. She came to
Newport to be washed with salt-water; when she had washed up to the
doctor's prescription she should leave, as ignorant of the peculiar
pleasures of Newport as when she arrived. She had no fancy for its
conglomerate societies, its literary cottages, its parvenue suits
of rooms, its saloon habits, and its bathing herds.
I considered the rides a part of the contract of what was
expected in my two months' performance. I did not dream that I was
enjoying them, any more than I supposed myself to be enjoying a
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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 Baby Mine by Margaret Mayo: my back to it. I used to ask her the time. Invariably she would
lie half an hour, backward or forward, just for practice. THAT
was the BEGINNING. Here, listen to some of these," he added, as
he drew half a dozen telegrams from his inner pocket, and
motioned Jimmy to sit at the opposite side of the table.
Jimmy would have preferred to stand, but it was not a propitious
time to consult his own preferences. He allowed himself to be
bullied into the chair that Alfred suggested.
Throwing himself into the opposite chair, Alfred selected various
exhibits from his collection of messages. "I just brought these
up from the office," he said. "These are some of the telegrams
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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 Middlemarch by George Eliot: aunt's large embroidered collar.
"I can hardly believe it--that you should be engaged without my
knowing it--without your father's telling me." Here Mrs. Bulstrode's
eyes finally rested on Rosamond's, who blushed deeply, and said--
"I am not engaged, aunt."
"How is it that every one says so, then--that it is the town's talk?"
"The town's talk is of very little consequence, I think,"
said Rosamond, inwardly gratified.
"Oh, my dear, be more thoughtful; don't despise your neighbors so.
Remember you are turned twenty-two now, and you will have no fortune:
your father, I am sure, will not be able to spare you anything.
Middlemarch |
