Today's Stichomancy for Shaquille O'Neal
| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, etc. by Oscar Wilde: What manner of life would be theirs while Fate still held this
fearful fortune in the scales? The marriage must be postponed, at
all costs. Of this he was quite resolved. Ardently though he
loved the girl, and the mere touch of her fingers, when they sat
together, made each nerve of his body thrill with exquisite joy, he
recognised none the less clearly where his duty lay, and was fully
conscious of the fact that he had no right to marry until he had
committed the murder. This done, he could stand before the altar
with Sybil Merton, and give his life into her hands without terror
of wrongdoing. This done, he could take her to his arms, knowing
that she would never have to blush for him, never have to hang her
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Illustrious Gaudissart by Honore de Balzac: ten, twenty, fifty horse-power. Ha! this is progress! the movement
onward to a better state of things; a movement born of the spirit of
our epoch; a movement essentially progressive, as I shall prove to you
when we come to consider the principles involved in the logical
co-ordination of the social fabric. I will now explain my meaning by
literal examples, leaving aside all purely abstract reasoning, which I
call the mathematics of thought. Instead of being, as you are, a
proprietor living upon your income, let us suppose that you are
painter, a musician, an artist, or a poet--"
"I am a painter," said the lunatic.
"Well, so be it. I see you take my metaphor. You are a painter; you
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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 A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift: something of that kind shall be advanced in contradiction to my
scheme, and offering a better, I desire the author or authors
will be pleased maturely to consider two points. First, As things
now stand, how they will be able to find food and raiment for a
hundred thousand useless mouths and backs. And secondly, There
being a round million of creatures in humane figure throughout
this kingdom, whose whole subsistence put into a common stock,
would leave them in debt two million of pounds sterling, adding
those who are beggars by profession, to the bulk of farmers,
cottagers and labourers, with their wives and children, who are
beggars in effect; I desire those politicians who dislike my
 A Modest Proposal |
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 Lin McLean by Owen Wister: young stock. Did we know that? And she was going to stay with a Mrs.
Pierce down there for a while, near where Nate would be working. All this
she told us; but when he did not return to dine with her on this first
day, I think she found it hard to sustain her wilful cheeriness. Lin
offered to take her driving to see the military post and dress parade at
retreat, and Cloud's Peak, and Buffalo's various sights; but she made
excuses and retired to her room. Nate, however, was at tea, shaven clean,
with good clothes, and well conducted. His tone and manner to Jessamine
were confidential and caressing, and offended Mr. McLean, so that I
observed to him that it was scarcely reasonable to be jealous.
"Oh, no jealousy!" said he. "But he comes in and kisses her, and he
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