| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: published for months--neither have I--but then I didn't expect to. Yes,
the truth is, I'm hard and bitter, and I have neither faith nor love for
unsuccessful men. I always end by despising them as I despise Casimir. I
suppose it's the savage pride of the female who likes to think the man to
whom she has given herself must be a very great chief indeed. But to stew
in this disgusting house while Casimir scours the land in the hope of
finding one editorial open door--it's humiliating. It's changed my whole
nature. I wasn't born for poverty--I only flower among really jolly
people, and people who never are worried."
The figure of the strange man rose before her--would not be dismissed.
"That was the man for me, after all is said and done--a man without a care
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy: figures of two dances, she decided to walk a little further,
to a cottage where she might get some refreshment,
and then return homeward in the shady time of evening.
This she did, and by the time that she retraced her steps
towards the scene of the gipsying, which it was necessary
to repass on her way to Alderworth, the sun was going down.
The air was now so still that she could hear the band
afar off, and it seemed to be playing with more spirit,
if that were possible, than when she had come away.
On reaching the hill the sun had quite disappeared;
but this made little difference either to Eustacia
Return of the Native |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from King Henry VI by William Shakespeare: Or else this blow should broach thy dearest blood.
But I 'll unto his majesty, and crave
I may have liberty to venge this wrong;
When thou shalt see I 'll meet thee to thy cost.
VERNON.
Well, miscreant, I 'll be there as soon as you;
And, after, meet you sooner than you would.
[Exeunt.]
ACT FOURTH
SCENE I. Paris. A hall of state.
[Enter the King, Gloucester, Bishop of Winchester, York,
|
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 At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft: tour to the two of us. On our return at one A.M., Danforth was
close to hysterics, but kept an admirably stiff upper lip. It
took no persuasion to make him promise not to show our sketches
and the other things we brought away in our pockets, not to say
anything more to the others than what we had agreed to relay outside,
and to hide our camera films for private development later on;
so that part of my present story will be as new to Pabodie, McTighe,
Ropes, Sherman, and the rest as it will be to the world in general.
Indeed, Danforth is closer mouthed than I: for he saw, or thinks
he saw, one thing he will not tell even me.
As all know, our
At the Mountains of Madness |
