| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Dunwich Horror by H. P. Lovecraft: east gable end, close against the hill; and no one could imagine
why a cleated wooden runway was built up to it from the ground.
About the period of this work's completion people noticed that
the old tool-house, tightly locked and windowlessly clapboarded
since Wilbur's birth, had been abandoned again. The door swung
listlessly open, and when Earl Sawyer once stepped within after
a cattle-selling call on Old Whateley he was quite discomposed
by the singular odour he encountered - such a stench, he averred,
as he had never before smelt in all his life except near the Indian
circles on the hills, and which could not come from anything sane
or of this earth. But then, the homes and sheds of Dunwich folk
The Dunwich Horror |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom by William and Ellen Craft: was allowed a little room to herself; and amongst
other pieces of furniture which I had made in my
overtime, was a chest of drawers; so when I took
the articles home, she locked them up carefully in
these drawers. No one about the premises knew
that she had anything of the kind. So when we
fancied we had everything ready the time was
fixed for the flight. But we knew it would not do
to start off without first getting our master's con-
sent to be away for a few days. Had we left with-
out this, they would soon have had us back into
Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Maria, or the Wrongs of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft: the partial laws and customs of society.
In the invention of the story, this view restrained my fancy;
and the history ought rather to be considered, as of woman, than
of an individual.
The sentiments I have embodied.
In many works of this species, the hero is allowed to be
mortal, and to become wise and virtuous as well as happy, by a
train of events and circumstances. The heroines, on the contrary,
are to be born immaculate, and to act like goddesses of wisdom,
just come forth highly finished Minervas from the head of Jove.
[The following is an extract of a letter from the author to
|
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 A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy: questions of that kind after what I have said. I cannot
understand you at all. I must go on now.'
'Why, good God!' exclaimed Stephen passionately, 'you talk as if
you hadn't at all taken her away from anybody who had better
claims to her than you!'
'What do you mean by that?' said Knight, with a puzzled air.
'What have you heard?'
'Nothing. I too must go on. Good-day.'
'If you will go,' said Knight, reluctantly now, 'you must, I
suppose. I am sure I cannot understand why you behave so.'
'Nor I why you do. I have always been grateful to you, and as far
A Pair of Blue Eyes |
