| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: let us go and look abroad; and if we find nothing at all in it to
justify the trouble, I'll tell you a story to the purpose, that
shall convince you of the justice of my proposing it."
They went out presently to go up to the top of the hill, where I
used to go; but they being strong, and a good company, nor alone,
as I was, used none of my cautions to go up by the ladder, and
pulling it up after them, to go up a second stage to the top, but
were going round through the grove unwarily, when they were
surprised with seeing a light as of fire, a very little way from
them, and hearing the voices of men, not of one or two, but of a
great number.
Robinson Crusoe |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Damaged Goods by Upton Sinclair: embarrassment.
"I beg your pardon," he said, "I am ridiculous. That happens to
me, sometimes. Only, put yourself in my place--I love her so!"
His voice broke.
"My dear boy," said the doctor, feelingly, "that is exactly why
you ought not to marry her."
"But," he cried, "if I back out without saying anything they will
guess the truth, and I shall be dishonored."
"One is not dishonored because one is ill."
"But with such a disease! People are so stupid. I myself,
yesterday--I should have laughed at anyone who had got into such
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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 The Research Magnificent by H. G. Wells: forgets where I do not forget. . . ."
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Such were the things that Benham could think and set down.
Yet for whole days he was possessed by the thought of killing Amanda
and himself.
He did not at once turn homeward. It was in Ceylon that he dropped
his work and came home. At Colombo he found a heap of letters
awaiting him, and there were two of these that had started at the
same time. They had been posted in London on one eventful
afternoon. Lady Marayne and Amanda had quarrelled violently. Two
earnest, flushed, quick-breathing women, full of neat but belated
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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 The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne: radiant halo, that glorified him amid this gloomy night of sin --
as if the departed Governor had left him an inheritance of his
glory, or as if he had caught upon himself the distant shine of
the celestial city, while looking thitherward to see the
triumphant pilgrim pass within its gates -- now, in short, good
Father Wilson was moving homeward, aiding his footsteps with a
lighted lantern! The glimmer of this luminary suggested the
above conceits to Mr. Dimmesdale, who smiled -- nay, almost
laughed at them -- and then wondered if he was gag mad.
As the Reverend Mr. Wilson passed beside the scaffold, closely
The Scarlet Letter |
