| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Herland by Charlotte Gilman: woods, as I remember."
When we reached the edge of the open country we reconnoitered
with our field glasses. There it was, about four miles off, the
same town, we concluded, unless, as Jeff ventured, they all had
pink houses. The broad green fields and closely cultivated gardens
sloped away at our feet, a long easy slant, with good roads
winding pleasantly here and there, and narrower paths besides.
"Look at that!" cried Jeff suddenly. "There they go!"
Sure enough, close to the town, across a wide meadow, three
bright-hued figures were running swiftly.
"How could they have got that far in this time? It can't be the
Herland |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence: The boy was rather miserable at being reprimanded.
"No--well, you be more careful."
William fled away, glad to be exonerated. And Mrs. Morel,
who hated any bother with the neighbours, thought she would explain
to Mrs. Anthony, and the business would be over.
But that evening Morel came in from the pit looking very sour.
He stood in the kitchen and glared round, but did not speak for
some minutes. Then:
"Wheer's that Willy?" he asked.
"What do you want HIM for?" asked Mrs. Morel, who had guessed.
"I'll let 'im know when I get him," said Morel, banging his
Sons and Lovers |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer: explained the family physician; "but I had not anticipated a fatal
termination so soon. I was called about two o'clock this morning,
and found Lord Southery in a dangerously exhausted condition.
I did all that was possible, and Sir Frank Narcombe was sent for.
But shortly before his arrival the patient expired."
"I understand, Doctor, that you had been treating Lord Southery
for angina pectoris?" I said.
"Yes," was the reply, "for some months."
"You regard the circumstances of his end as entirely consistent
with a death from that cause?"
"Certainly. Do you observe anything unusual yourself?
The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu |
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 The Lesson of the Master by Henry James: part of the gallery, where it was discussed with several members of
the party; even when, after they had all gone out together, he
found himself for half an hour conjoined with Mrs. St. George. Her
husband had taken the advance with Miss Fancourt, and this pair
were quite out of sight. It was the prettiest of rambles for a
summer afternoon - a grassy circuit, of immense extent, skirting
the limit of the park within. The park was completely surrounded
by its old mottled but perfect red wall, which, all the way on
their left, constituted in itself an object of interest. Mrs. St.
George mentioned to him the surprising number of acres thus
enclosed, together with numerous other facts relating to the
|
