| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from An Inland Voyage by Robert Louis Stevenson: Often there was free water at the end, and we could steer round the
leafy promontory and hear the water sucking and bubbling among the
twigs. Often, again, when the tree reached from bank to bank,
there was room, by lying close, to shoot through underneath, canoe
and all. Sometimes it was necessary to get out upon the trunk
itself and pull the boats across; and sometimes, when the stream
was too impetuous for this, there was nothing for it but to land
and 'carry over.' This made a fine series of accidents in the
day's career, and kept us aware of ourselves.
Shortly after our re-embarkation, while I was leading by a long
way, and still full of a noble, exulting spirit in honour of the
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Betty Zane by Zane Grey: had bade them all goodbye and goodnight, except Betty, who opened the door for
him, he said softly to her:
"It is bright moonlight outside. Come, please, and walk to the gate with me."
A full moon shone serenely down on hill and dale, flooding the valley with its
pure white light and bathing the pastures in its glory; at the foot of the
bluff the waves of the river gleamed like myriads of stars all twinkling and
dancing on a bed of snowy clouds. Thus illumined the river wound down the
valley, its brilliance growing fainter and fainter until at last, resembling
the shimmering of a silver thread which joined the earth to heaven, it
disappeared in the horizon.
"I must say goodbye," said Alfred, as they reached the gate.
Betty Zane |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Works of Samuel Johnson by Samuel Johnson: indigence but the want of gratifications which he
could not in any other condition make consistent
with innocence, has given no proof of eminent
patience. Esteem and influence every man desires,
but they are equally pleasing, and equally valuable,
by whatever means they are obtained; and whoever
has found the art of securing them without the help
of money, ought, in reality, to be accounted rich,
since he has all that riches can purchase to a wise
man. Cincinnatus, though he lived upon a few acres
cultivated by his own hand, was sufficiently removed
|
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 Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: circumstances which made such a loss worse for him than for any other
man, were known, and secured him the pity and interest of every one in
Gersau. Every morning the pretended dumb girl came to see him and
bring him news of her mistress.
As soon as Rodolphe could go out he went to the Bergmanns' house, to
thank Miss Fanny Lovelace and her father for the interest they had
taken in his sorrow and his illness. For the first time since he had
lodged with the Bergmanns the old Italian admitted a stranger to his
room, where Rodolphe was received with the cordiality due to his
misfortunes and to his being a Frenchman, which excluded all distrust
of him. Francesca looked so lovely by candle-light that first evening
Albert Savarus |
