| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from King James Bible: GEN 27:16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his
hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:
GEN 27:17 And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had
prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
GEN 27:18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he
said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?
GEN 27:19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy first born; I
have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat
of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.
GEN 27:20 And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found
it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it
King James Bible |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Whirligigs by O. Henry: dodged, drew a small revolver and shot Hedges in the
chest. The leading roysterer stumbled, fell in a wry
heap, and lay still.
Wade, a commuter, had formed that habit of prompt-
ness. He juggled Merriam out a side door, walked him to
the corner, ran him a block and caught a hansom. They
rode five minutes and then got out on a dark corner
and dismissed the cab. Across the street the lights of
a small saloon betrayed its hectic hospitality.
"Go in the back room of that saloon," said Wade,
"and wait. I'll go find out what's doing and let you know.
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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 The Children of the Night by Edwin Arlington Robinson: We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.
And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
"Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked.
And he was rich, -- yes, richer than a king, --
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.
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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 Several Works by Edgar Allan Poe: clock went out with that of the last of the gay. And the flames of
the tripods expired. And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held
illimitable dominion over all.
The Cask of Amontillado
by Edgar Allan Poe
October, 1997 [Etext #1065]*
The Cask of Amontillado
The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best
could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who
so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that
I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged;
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