| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Night and Day by Virginia Woolf: tapering into a flame of girlish freakishness, which flitted, for the
rest of the morning, as a will-o'-the-wisp, across Rodney's landscape.
He could not resist beginning an answer to her there and then. He
found it particularly delightful to shape a style which should express
the bowing and curtsying, advancing and retreating, which are
characteristic of one of the many million partnerships of men and
women. Katharine never trod that particular measure, he could not help
reflecting; Katharine--Cassandra; Cassandra--Katharine--they
alternated in his consciousness all day long. It was all very well to
dress oneself carefully, compose one's face, and start off punctually
at half-past four to a tea-party in Cheyne Walk, but Heaven only knew
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe: He had in his family ten persons; that is to say, himself and wife, five
children, two apprentices, and a maid-servant. He had not returned to
his house above a week, and began to open his shop and carry on his
trade, but the distemper broke out in his family, and within about five
days they all died, except one; that is to say, himself, his wife, all his
five children, and his two apprentices; and only the maid remained alive.
But the mercy of God was greater to the rest than we had reason to
expect; for the malignity (as I have said) of the distemper was spent,
the contagion was exhausted, and also the winter weather came on
apace, and the air was clear and cold, with sharp frosts; and this
increasing still, most of those that had fallen sick recovered, and the
A Journal of the Plague Year |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Ann Veronica by H. G. Wells: "No--o--certainly not so emphatically as I did about the play."
"It was an inspiration--your speaking to him?"
"I felt impudent. I believe I am getting impudent. I had not
been near the Royal Society since--since you disgraced me.
What's that?"
They both stood listening. It was not the arrival of the guests,
but merely the maid moving about in the hall.
"Wonderful man!" said Ann Veronica, reassured, and stroking his
cheek with her finger.
Capes made a quick movement as if to bite that aggressive digit,
but it withdrew to Ann Veronica's side.
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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 Philosophy 4 by Owen Wister: do?" he asked.
"Do! Don't you know?"
Billy in all truth did not,
"Phew!" went Bertie. "Well, I don't, either. Didn't see it. Saw the
consequences, though. Don't you remember being ready to apologize? What
do you remember, anyhow?"
Billy consulted his recollections with care: they seemed to break off at
the champagne. That was early. Bertie was astonished. Did not Billy
remember singing "Brace up and dress the Countess," and "A noble lord
the Earl of Leicester"? He had sung them quite in his usual manner,
conversing freely between whiles. In fact, to see and hear him, no one
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