| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Elizabeth and her German Garden by Marie Annette Beauchamp: "and had you lent a willing ear to the blandishments of ninety-nine
before you reached your final destiny?"
"I am one of the sensible ones, I suppose," I replied,
"for nobody ever wanted me to listen to blandishments."
Minora sighed.
"I like to hear you talk together about the position of women,"
he went on, "and wonder when you will realise that they hold exactly
the position they are fitted for. As soon as they are fit to occupy a better,
no power on earth will be able to keep them out of it. Meanwhile, let me
warn you that, as things now are, only strong-minded women wish to see
you the equals of men, and the strong-minded are invariably plain.
Elizabeth and her German Garden |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Wheels of Chance by H. G. Wells: "I can spare you the ten minutes," said Mr. Hoopdriver, with
dignity.
"This way, then," said the other man in brown, and they walked
slowly down the North Street towards the Grammar School. There
was, perhaps, thirty seconds' silence. The other man stroked his
moustache nervously. Mr. Hoopdriver's dramatic instincts were now
fully awake. He did not quite understand in what role he was
cast, but it was evidently something dark and mysterious. Doctor
Conan Doyle, Victor Hugo, and Alexander Dumas were well within
Mr. Hoopdriver's range of reading, and he had not read them for
nothing.
|
| 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: Alfred.
CHAPTER IX
Realising that she was rapidly losing ground by exercising her
advantage over Alfred in the matter of quick retort, Zoie, with
her customary cunning, veered round to a more conciliatory tone.
"Well," she cooed, "suppose I DID eat lunch with a man?"
"Ah!" shrieked Alfred, as though he had at last run his victim to
earth.
She retreated with her fingers crossed. "I only said suppose,"
she reminded him quickly. Then she continued in a tone meant to
draw from him his heart's most secret confidence. "Didn't you
|
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 In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: the creases out. Now, mind, you must look after the children and not sit
up later than half-past eight, and not touch the lamp--you know what will
happen if you do."
"Yes, Mamma," said Rosa, who was nine and felt old enough to manage a
thousand lamps. "But let me stay up--the 'Bub' may wake and want some
milk."
"Half-past eight!" said the Frau. "I'll make the father tell you too."
Rosa drew down the corners of her mouth.
"But...but..."
"Here comes the father. You go into the bedroom and fetch my blue silk
handkerchief. You can wear my black shawl while I'm out--there now!"
|
