| 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: have never been remarkable for olfactory immaculateness.
The
following months were void of visible events, save that everyone
swore to a slow but steady increase in the mysterious hill noises.
On May Eve of 1915 there were tremors which even the Aylesbury
people felt, whilst the following Hallowe'en produced an underground
rumbling queerly synchronized with bursts of flame - 'them witch
Whateleys' doin's' - from the summit of Sentinel Hill. Wilbur
was growing up uncannily, so that he looked like a boy of ten
as he entered his fourth year. He read avidly by himself now;
but talked much less than formerly. A settled taciturnity was
The Dunwich Horror |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Ancient Regime by Charles Kingsley: and divine certainty when once ascertained.
[But these philosophers (it will be said) hated all religion.
Before that question can be fairly discussed, it is surely right to
consider what form of religion that was which they found working
round them in France, and on the greater part of the Continent. The
quality thereof may have surely had something to do (as they
themselves asserted) with that "sort of rage" with which (to use M.
de Tocqueville's words) "the Christian religion was attacked in
France."
M. de Tocqueville is of opinion (and his opinion is likely to be
just) that "the Church was not more open to attack in France than
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith: (To him.) But I am sure my family is as good as Miss Hardcastle's; and
though I'm poor, that's no great misfortune to a contented mind; and,
until this moment, I never thought that it was bad to want fortune.
MARLOW. And why now, my pretty simplicity?
MISS HARDCASTLE. Because it puts me at a distance from one that, if I
had a thousand pounds, I would give it all to.
MARLOW. (Aside.) This simplicity bewitches me, so that if I stay, I'm
undone. I must make one bold effort, and leave her. (To her.) Your
partiality in my favour, my dear, touches me most sensibly: and were I
to live for myself alone, I could easily fix my choice. But I owe too
much to the opinion of the world, too much to the authority of a
She Stoops to Conquer |
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 Common Sense by Thomas Paine: need not the triumph of a pamphlet; and those whose sentiments
are injudicious, or unfriendly, will cease of themselves unless
too much pains are bestowed upon their conversion.
The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind.
Many circumstances hath, and will arise, which are not local, but universal,
and through which the principles of all Lovers of Mankind are affected,
and in the Event of which, their Affections are interested.
The laying a Country desolate with Fire and Sword, declaring War
against the natural rights of all Mankind, and extirpating
the Defenders thereof from the Face of the Earth, is the Concern
of every Man to whom Nature hath given the Power of feeling;
Common Sense |
