| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from An Unsocial Socialist by George Bernard Shaw: were just like two flies in a spider's web."
Meanwhile, Trefusis was fulfilling his promise to write to
Donovan Brown.
"Sallust's House.
"Dear Brown: I have spent the forenoon angling for a couple of
very young fish, and have landed them with more trouble than they
are worth. One has gaudy scales: he is a baronet, and an amateur
artist, save the mark. All my arguments and my little museum of
photographs were lost on him; but when I mentioned your name, and
promised him an introduction to you, he gorged the bait greedily.
He was half drunk when he signed; and I should not have let him
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from To-morrow by Joseph Conrad: When Captain Hagberd vaunted the necessity and
propriety of a home and the delights of one's own
fireside, she smiled a little, with her lips only. Her
home delights had been confined to the nursing of
her father during the ten best years of her life.
A bestial roaring coming out of an upstairs win-
dow would interrupt their talk. She would begin
at once to roll up her crochet-work or fold her sew-
ing, without the slightest sign of haste. Mean-
while the howls and roars of her name would go on,
making the fishermen strolling upon the sea-wall
To-morrow |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: honor them and to esteem them great as the dearest treasure and the
most precious jewel upon earth.
He, now, who is obedient here, is willing and ready to serve, and
cheerfully does all that pertains to honor, knows that he is pleasing
God and that he will receive joy and happiness for his reward. If he
will not do it in love, but despises and resists [authority] or rebels,
let him also know, on the other hand, that he shall have no favor nor
blessing, and where he thinks to gain a florin thereby, he will
elsewhere lose ten times as much, or become a victim to the hangman,
perish by war, pestilence, and famine, or experience no good in his
children, and be obliged to suffer injury, injustice, and violence at
|
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 Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen: made a very good appearance in the first circles,
and drove about town in very knowing gigs. But I had
no inclination for the law, even in this less abstruse
study of it, which my family approved. As for the navy,
it had fashion on its side, but I was too old when the
subject was first started to enter it--and, at length,
as there was no necessity for my having any profession
at all, as I might be as dashing and expensive without
a red coat on my back as with one, idleness was pronounced
on the whole to be most advantageous and honourable,
and a young man of eighteen is not in general so earnestly
Sense and Sensibility |
