| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Hamlet by William Shakespeare: Ha. No good Mother, here's Mettle more attractiue
Pol. Oh ho, do you marke that?
Ham. Ladie, shall I lye in your Lap?
Ophe. No my Lord
Ham. I meane, my Head vpon your Lap?
Ophe. I my Lord
Ham. Do you thinke I meant Country matters?
Ophe. I thinke nothing, my Lord
Ham. That's a faire thought to ly betweene Maids legs
Ophe. What is my Lord?
Ham. Nothing
Hamlet |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Market-Place by Harold Frederic: fighting gluttons of gulls had actually pointed out to him
the object of his search. It was Lady Cressage who stood
in the doorway, there just below him--and her companion,
the red-haired lady who laughed hotel-rules to scorn,
was the American heiress who had crossed the ocean
in his ship, and whom he had met later on at Hadlow.
What was her name--Martin? No--Madden. He confronted the swift
impression that there was something odd about these two
women being together. At Hadlow he had imagined that they
did not like each other. Then he reflected as swiftly
that women probably had their own rules about such matters.
The Market-Place |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Iliad by Homer: their plans? Will they stay here by the ships and away from the
city, or now that they have worsted the Achaeans, will they
retire within their walls?"
And Dolon answered, "I will tell you truly all. Hector and the
other councillors are now holding conference by the monument of
great Ilus, away from the general tumult; as for the guards about
which you ask me, there is no chosen watch to keep guard over the
host. The Trojans have their watchfires, for they are bound to
have them; they, therefore, are awake and keep each other to
their duty as sentinels; but the allies who have come from other
places are asleep and leave it to the Trojans to keep guard, for
The Iliad |
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 Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg by Mark Twain: some one raised him a three; he waited a moment, then flung in a
fifty-dollar jump, and the sack was his--at $1,282. The house broke
out in cheers--then stopped; for he was on his feet, and had lifted
his hand. He began to speak.
"I desire to say a word, and ask a favour. I am a speculator in
rarities, and I have dealings with persons interested in numismatics
all over the world. I can make a profit on this purchase, just as
it stands; but there is a way, if I can get your approval, whereby I
can make every one of these leaden twenty-dollar pieces worth its
face in gold, and perhaps more. Grant me that approval, and I will
give part of my gains to your Mr. Richards, whose invulnerable
The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg |
