| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lady Susan by Jane Austen: on your fears, but on your sense and affection. It would destroy every
comfort of my life to know that you were married to Lady Susan Vernon; it
would be the death of that honest pride with which I have hitherto
considered my son; I should blush to see him, to hear of him, to think of
him. I may perhaps do no good but that of relieving my own mind by this
letter, but I felt it my duty to tell you that your partiality for Lady
Susan is no secret to your friends, and to warn you against her. I should
be glad to hear your reasons for disbelieving Mr. Smith's intelligence; you
had no doubt of its authenticity a month ago. If you can give me your
assurance of having no design beyond enjoying the conversation of a clever
woman for a short period, and of yielding admiration only to her beauty and
Lady Susan |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Father Damien by Robert Louis Stevenson: shall say farewell to you for ever.
"HONOLULU,
"August 2, 1889.
"Rev. H. B. GAGE.
"Dear Brother, - In answer to your inquires about Father Damien, I
can only reply that we who knew the man are surprised at the
extravagant newspaper laudations, as if he was a most saintly
philanthropist. The simple truth is, he was a coarse, dirty man,
headstrong and bigoted. He was not sent to Molokai, but went there
without orders; did not stay at the leper settlement (before he
became one himself), but circulated freely over the whole island
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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 Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: so unlike in appearance to the rare specimens of traders she had
seen before on that same verandah.
Dain Maroola, dazzled by the unexpected vision, forgot the
confused Almayer, forgot his brig, his escort staring in
open-mouthed admiration, the object of his visit and all things
else, in his overpowering desire to prolong the contemplation of
so much loveliness met so suddenly in such an unlikely place--as
he thought.
"It is my daughter," said Almayer, in an embarrassed manner. "It
is of no consequence. White women have their customs, as you
know Tuan, having travelled much, as you say. However, it is
Almayer's Folly |
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 Passionate Pilgrim by William Shakespeare: Those thoughts, to me like oaks, to thee like osiers bow'd.
Study his bias leaves, and make his book thine eyes,
Where all those pleasures live that art can comprehend.
If knowledge be the mark, to know thee shall suffice;
Well learned is that tongue that well can thee commend;
All ignorant that soul that sees thee without wonder;
Which is to me some praise, that I thy parts admire:
Thy eye Jove's lightning seems, thy voice his dreadful thunder,
Which, not to anger bent, is music and sweet fire.
Celestial as thou art, O do not love that wrong,
To sing heaven's praise with such an earthly tongue.
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