| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Love and Friendship by Jane Austen: violence of his affection for Janetta, on receiving this Billet
flew on the wings of Love to Macdonald-Hall, and so powerfully
pleaded his Attachment to her who inspired it, that after a few
more private interveiws, Sophia and I experienced the
satisfaction of seeing them depart for Gretna-Green, which they
chose for the celebration of their Nuptials, in preference to any
other place although it was at a considerable distance from
Macdonald-Hall.
Adeiu
Laura.
LETTER the 13th
Love and Friendship |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan by Honore de Balzac: charmingly furnished; she had even borne several privations to keep a
saddle-horse, a cab-horse, and a little groom for his use. For
herself, she had only her own maid, and as cook, a former kitchen-
maid. The duke's groom had, therefore, rather a hard place. Toby,
formerly tiger to the "late" Beaudenord (such was the jesting term
applied by the gay world to that ruined gentleman),--Toby, who at
twenty-five years of age was still considered only fourteen, was
expected to groom the horses, clean the cabriolet, or the tilbury, and
the harnesses, accompany his master, take care of the apartments, and
be in the princess's antechamber to announce a visitor, if, by chance,
she happened to receive one.
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Merry Men by Robert Louis Stevenson: and which rightly looked at, are no more than a sort of permanent
sunburning; such wrinkles heighten the stupidity of stupid faces;
but to a person like Will, with his clear eyes and smiling mouth,
only give another charm by testifying to a simple and easy life.
His talk was full of wise sayings. He had a taste for other
people; and other people had a taste for him. When the valley was
full of tourists in the season, there were merry nights in Will's
arbour; and his views, which seemed whimsical to his neighbours,
were often enough admired by learned people out of towns and
colleges. Indeed, he had a very noble old age, and grew daily
better known; so that his fame was heard of in the cities of the
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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 Adventure by Jack London: style that will make your head hum; and I'll bring her alongside
the wharf at Guvutu without dropping anchor and running a line."
She came to a breathless pause, and then broke into laughter,
directed, he could see, against herself.
"Old Kinross is setting that fisherman's staysail," he remarked
quietly.
"No!" she cried incredulously, swiftly looking, then running for
the telescope.
She regarded the manoeuvre steadily through the glass, and Sheldon,
watching her face, could see that the skipper was not making a
success of it.
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