The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum: willingly agreed to assist, although he prophesied
they would fall out of the sunbonnet on their way and
be either drowned in the ocean or crushed upon some
rocky shore. This uncheerful prospect did not daunt
Trot, but it made Cap'n Bill quite nervous.
"I will eat my berry first," said Trot, as she placed
her sunbonnet on the ground, in such manner that they
could get into it.
Then she ate the lavender berry and in a few seconds
became so small that Cap'n Bill picked her up gently with
his thumb and one finger and placed her in the middle of
The Scarecrow of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield: "That would be very nice," said Constantia. "I seem to remember last time
he came there was some little trouble about the time."
Chapter 3.X.
They were interrupted by Kate bursting through the door in her usual
fashion, as though she had discovered some secret panel in the wall.
"Fried or boiled?" asked the bold voice.
Fried or boiled? Josephine and Constantia were quite bewildered for the
moment. They could hardly take it in.
"Fried or boiled what, Kate?" asked Josephine, trying to begin to
concentrate.
Kate gave a loud sniff. "Fish."
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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 Manon Lescaut by Abbe Prevost: inestimably greater value.'
"We carefully cultivated the governor's friendship. He bestowed
upon me, a few weeks after our arrival, a small appointment which
became vacant in the fort. Although not one of any distinction,
I gratefully accepted it as a gift of Providence, as it enabled
me to live independently of others' aid. I took a servant for
myself, and a woman for Manon. Our little establishment became
settled: nothing could surpass the regularity of my conduct, or
that of Manon; we lost no opportunity of serving or doing an act
of kindness to our neighbours. This friendly disposition, and
the mildness of our manners, secured us the confidence and
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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 Gambara by Honore de Balzac: her extravagant luxury, for they were so devotedly adoring, that in
all his life, Giardini could recall no instance of such a passion.
Towards the end of that very January, one evening when Giardini was
chatting with a girl who had come to buy her supper, about the divine
Marianna--so poor, so beautiful, so heroically devoted, and who had,
nevertheless, "gone the way of them all," the cook, his wife, and the
street-girl saw coming towards them a woman fearfully thin, with a
sunburned, dusty face; a nervous walking skeleton, looking at the
numbers, and trying to recognize a house.
"/Ecco la Marianna/!" exclaimed the cook.
Marianna recognized Giardini, the erewhile cook, in the poor fellow
Gambara |