| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini: hair was carefully dressed, diamonds gleamed in the cravat of snowy
lace at his throat. He was uncovered, his hat under his arm, and he
stood aside to make way for her, imagining that she was some woman of
the house.
"Mr. Wilding," said she, her heart fluttering in her throat. "May
I... may I speak with you?"
He leaned forward, seeking to pierce the shadows of her wimple; he had
thought he recognized the voice, as his sudden start had shown; and yet
he disbelieved his ears. She moved her head at that moment, and the
light streaming out from a lamp in the passage beat upon her white face.
"Ruth!" he cried, and came quickly forward. Trenchard, behind him,
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Travels with a Donkey in the Cevenne by Robert Louis Stevenson: a bell, and somehow, I can scarce tell why, my heart sank within me
at the sound. I have rarely approached anything with more
unaffected terror than the monastery of Our Lady of the Snows.
This it is to have had a Protestant education. And suddenly, on
turning a corner, fear took hold on me from head to foot - slavish,
superstitious fear; and though I did not stop in my advance, yet I
went on slowly, like a man who should have passed a bourne
unnoticed, and strayed into the country of the dead. For there,
upon the narrow new-made road, between the stripling pines, was a
mediaeval friar, fighting with a barrowful of turfs. Every Sunday
of my childhood I used to study the Hermits of Marco Sadeler -
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Twice Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne: found that she had no right sense of the progress and true state
of the Revolutionary War, but held a constant faith that the
armies of Britain were victorious on every field, and destined to
be ultimately triumphant. Whenever the town rejoiced for a battle
won by Washington, or Gates, or Morgan or Greene, the news, in
passing through the door of the Province House, as through the
ivory gate of dreams, became metamorphosed into a strange tale of
the prowess of Howe, Clinton, or Cornwallis. Sooner or later it
was her invincible belief the colonies would be prostrate at the
footstool of the King. Sometimes she seemed to take for granted
that such was already the case. On one occasion, she startled the
Twice Told Tales |
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 Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield: spectacles and put them on, gave the page a little dab with her plump small
fingers, and pursed up her lips. "Very sweet!" she crooned vaguely; she
looked at Ethel over her spectacles. "But I shouldn't have the train."
"Not the train!" wailed Ethel tragically. "But the train's the whole
point."
"Here, mother, let me decide." Marion snatched the paper playfully from
Charlotte. "I agree with mother," she cried triumphantly. "The train
overweights it."
Old Mr. Neave, forgotten, sank into the broad lap of his chair, and,
dozing, heard them as though he dreamed. There was no doubt about it, he
was tired out; he had lost his hold. Even Charlotte and the girls were too
|
