| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad: I walked up and down for a while thinking things out, then beckoned him over.
"Send a couple of hands to open the two quarter-deck ports,"
I said, mildly.
He actually had the impudence, or else so forgot himself in his wonder
at such an incomprehensible order, as to repeat:
"Open the quarter-deck ports! What for, sir?"
"The only reason you need concern yourself about is because I tell you
to do so. Have them open wide and fastened properly."
He reddened and went off, but I believe made some jeering remark
to the carpenter as to the sensible practice of ventilating
a ship's quarter-deck. I know he popped into the mate's cabin
The Secret Sharer |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Aspern Papers by Henry James: (if she were the niece) she had asked Mrs. Prest, and we stood
face to face in the empty pompous hall.
"Well then, would you kindly tell me to whom I must address myself?
I'm afraid you'll think me odiously intrusive, but you know I MUST
have a garden--upon my honor I must!"
Her face was not young, but it was simple; it was not fresh, but it was mild.
She had large eyes which were not bright, and a great deal of hair which
was not "dressed," and long fine hands which were--possibly--not clean.
She clasped these members almost convulsively as, with a confused,
alarmed look, she broke out, "Oh, don't take it away from us;
we like it ourselves!"
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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 Danny's Own Story by Don Marquis: nigh all the prominent citizens in town. They was
friendly with us, and we was friendly with them.
Georgia had jest went fur prohibition a few months
before that, and they hadn't opened up these here
near-beer bar-rooms in the little towns yet, like
they had in Atlanta and the big towns. Georgia
had went prohibition so the niggers couldn't get
whiskey, some said; but others said they didn't
know WHAT its excuse was. Them prominent
citizens was loafing around the hotel and every
now and then inviting each other very mysterious
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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 Essays of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson: toe. 'At the Carrefour de l'Epine,' returns the other in corduroy
(they are all gaitered, by the way). 'I couldn't do a thing to it.
I ran out of white. Where were you?' 'I wasn't working. I was
looking for motives.' Here is an outbreak of jubilation, and a lot
of men clustering together about some new-comer with outstretched
hands; perhaps the 'correspondence' has come in and brought So-and-so
from Paris, or perhaps it is only So-and-so who has walked over from
Chailly to dinner.
'A TABLE, MESSIEURS!' cries M. Siron, bearing through the court the
first tureen of soup. And immediately the company begins to settle
down about the long tables in the dining-room, framed all round with
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