| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Dynamiter by Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Van De Grift Stevenson: risen at her coming, and he beheld a new-created world. What
she was, he could not fancy, but he adored her. Her age, he
durst not estimate; fearing to find her older than himself,
and thinking sacrilege to couple that fair favour with the
thought of mortal changes. As for her character, beauty to
the young is always good. So the poor lad lingered late upon
the terrace, stealing timid glances at the curtained window,
sighing to the gold laburnums, rapt into the country of
romance; and when at length he entered and sat down to dine,
on cold boiled mutton and a pint of ale, he feasted on the
food of gods.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Essays of Francis Bacon by Francis Bacon: early custom. So we see, in languages, the tongue
is more pliant to all expressions and sounds, the
joints are more supple, to all feats of activity and
motions, in youth than afterwards. For it is true,
that late learners cannot so well take the ply; ex-
cept it be in some minds, that have not suffered
themselves to fix, but have kept themselves open,
and prepared to receive continual amendment,
which is exceeding rare. But if the force of cus-
tom simple and separate, be great, the force of
custom copulate and conjoined and collegiate, is
Essays of Francis Bacon |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy: would live with him, because" . . .
And he continued, but I did not hear the rest of the sentence, my
attention being distracted by the passing of the conductor and a
new traveller. When silence was restored, I again heard the
lawyer's voice. The conversation had passed from a special case
to general considerations.
"And afterward comes discord, financial difficulties, disputes
between the two parties, and the couple separate. In the good
old days that seldom happened. Is it not so?" asked the lawyer
of the two merchants, evidently trying to drag them into the
conversation.
The Kreutzer Sonata |
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 In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: hysterics and said that she would not marry this man. They had to get the
priest to her."
"Where is the other one?" asked Frau Brechenmacher. "Why didn't he marry
her?"
The woman shrugged her shoulders.
"Gone--disappeared. He was a traveller, and only stayed at their house two
nights. He was selling shirt buttons--I bought some myself, and they were
beautiful shirt buttons--but what a pig of a fellow! I can't think what he
saw in such a plain girl--but you never know. Her mother says she's been
like fire ever since she was sixteen!"
Frau Brechenmacher looked down at her beer and blew a little hole in the
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