| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Amy Foster by Joseph Conrad: in the cattle-yard, and was of some use with the
sheep. He began to pick up words, too, very fast;
and suddenly, one fine morning in spring, he res-
cued from an untimely death a grand-child of old
Swaffer.
"Swaffer's younger daughter is married to
Willcox, a solicitor and the Town Clerk of Cole-
brook. Regularly twice a year they come to stay
with the old man for a few days. Their only child,
a little girl not three years old at the time, ran out
of the house alone in her little white pinafore, and,
Amy Foster |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Chance by Joseph Conrad: woman for a clear vision of reality; I would say a cynical vision if
I were not afraid of wounding your chivalrous feelings--for which,
by the by, women are not so grateful as you may think, to fellows of
your kind . . .
"Upon my word, Marlow," I cried, "what are you flying out at me for
like this? I wouldn't use an ill-sounding word about women, but
what right have you to imagine that I am looking for gratitude?"
Marlow raised a soothing hand.
"There! There! I take back the ill-sounding word, with the remark,
though, that cynicism seems to me a word invented by hypocrites.
But let that pass. As to women, they know that the clamour for
Chance |
| 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: Leave off to wonder why I drew you hither
Into this chiefest thicket of the park.
Thus stands the case: you know our King, my brother,
Is prisoner to the Bishop here, at whose hands
He hath good usage and great liberty,
And often, but attended with weak guard,
Comes hunting this way to disport himself.
I have advertis'd him by secret means
That if about this hour he make this way,
Under the colour of his usual game,
He shall here find his friends, with horse and men,
|
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 Anthem by Ayn Rand: spoke simply and gently, as if they wished
us to forget some anxiety of their own.
"The day is hot," they said, "and you have
worked for many hours and you must be weary."
"No," we answered.
"It is cooler in the fields," they said,
"and there is water to drink. Are you thirsty?"
"Yes," we answered, "but we cannot cross the hedge."
"We shall bring the water to you," they said.
Then they knelt by the moat, they gathered
water in their two hands, they rose and
Anthem |
