| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Plutarch's Lives by A. H. Clough: employments, his virtues exerted and showed themselves; his reputed want
of energy then was recognized by people in general, as a freedom of
passion; his slowness in words and actions, the effect of a true
prudence; his want of rapidity, and his sluggishness, as constancy and
firmness.
Living in a great commonwealth, surrounded by many enemies, he saw the
wisdom of inuring his body (nature's own weapon) to warlike exercises,
and disciplining his tongue for public oratory in a style comformable
to his life and character. His eloquence, indeed, had not much of
popular ornament, nor empty artifice, but there was in it great weight
of sense; it was strong and sententious, much after the way of
|
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 Ebb-Tide by Stevenson & Osbourne: coming of the stranger who might mean so much to them. They
had no plan, no story prepared; there was no time to make one;
they were caught red-handed and must stand their chance. Yet
this anxiety was chequered with hope. The island being
undeclared, it was not possible the man could hold any office or
be in a position to demand their papers. And beyond that, if
there was any truth in Findlay, as it now seemed there should be,
he was the representative of the 'private reasons,' he must see
their coming with a profound disappointment; and perhaps (hope
whispered) he would be willing and able to purchase their
silence.
|
