| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: to a deep expression of sorrow and sympathy, and, sitting down
beside her, solicited her attention by quietly taking her hand, a
motion which he did not fail to accompany with a deep sigh.
"My father!" said Isabella, with a sort of start, which
expressed at least as much fear, as joy or affection.
"Yes, Isabella," said Vere, "your unhappy father, who comes now
as a penitent to crave forgiveness of his daughter for an injury
done to her in the excess of his affection, and then to take
leave of her for ever."
"Sir? Offence to me take leave for ever? What does all this
mean?" said Miss Vere.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Selected Writings of Guy De Maupassant by Guy De Maupassant: country round. They did not speak for fear of frightening the
bird away. They were sitting close together, and slowly Henri's
arm stole round the girl's waist and squeezed it gently. She took
that daring hand, but without anger, and kept removing it
whenever he put it round her; not, however, feeling at all
embarrassed by this caress, just as if it had been something
quite natural which she was resisting just as naturally.
She was listening to the bird in ecstasy. She felt an infinite
longing for happiness, for some sudden demonstration of
tenderness, for a revelation of divine poesy. She felt such a
softening at her heart, and such a relaxation of her nerves, that
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from De Profundis by Oscar Wilde: can get.
Perhaps there may come into my art also, no less than into my life,
a still deeper note, one of greater unity of passion, and
directness of impulse. Not width but intensity is the true aim of
modern art. We are no longer in art concerned with the type. It
is with the exception that we have to do. I cannot put my
sufferings into any form they took, I need hardly say. Art only
begins where Imitation ends, but something must come into my work,
of fuller memory of words perhaps, of richer cadences, of more
curious effects, of simpler architectural order, of some aesthetic
quality at any rate.
|
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 Thuvia, Maid of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "No creature other than a score or so of our sacred
banths has left Lothar to-day," he replied.
"But the soldiers--the bowmen!" exclaimed Carthoris.
"We saw thousands emerge from this very gate,
overwhelming the hordes of Torquas and putting them
to rout with their deadly arrows and their fierce banths."
Still the man smiled his knowing smile.
"Look!" he cried, and pointed down a broad avenue before him.
Carthoris and Thuvia followed the direction indicated,
and there, marching bravely in the sunlight, they saw
advancing toward them a great army of bowmen.
Thuvia, Maid of Mars |
