| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from House of Mirth by Edith Wharton: dismissal had hitherto been deferred.
Lily did not question the justice of the decision. She was
conscious of having been forgetful, awkward and slow to learn. It
was bitter to acknowledge her inferiority even to herself, but
the fact had been brought home to her that as a
bread-winner she could never compete with professional ability.
Since she had been brought up to be ornamental, she could hardly
blame herself for failing to serve any practical purpose; but the
discovery put an end to her consoling sense of universal
efficiency.
As she turned homeward her thoughts shrank in anticipation from
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates by Howard Pyle: coast of South America, attacked the vice admiral under the very
guns of two men-of-war, captured his ship, though she was armed
with eight guns and manned with threescore men, and would have
got her safely away, only that having to put on sail, their
mainmast went by the board, whereupon the men-of-war came up with
them, and the prize was lost.
But even though there were two men-of-war against all that
remained of six-and-twenty buccaneers, the Spaniards were glad
enough to make terms with them for the surrender of the vessel,
whereby Pierre Francois and his men came off scot-free.
Bartholomew Portuguese was a worthy of even more note. In a boat
Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen: curiosity about it. This was the only comfort that occurred.
Impatient to get rid of those hateful evidences of her folly,
those detestable papers then scattered over the bed,
she rose directly, and folding them up as nearly as possible
in the same shape as before, returned them to the same
spot within the cabinet, with a very hearty wish that no
untoward accident might ever bring them forward again,
to disgrace her even with herself.
Why the locks should have been so difficult
to open, however, was still something remarkable,
for she could now manage them with perfect ease. In this
Northanger Abbey |
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 Herland by Charlotte Gilman: They must have had efficient workmen and enough of them in those days.
They made a brave fight for their existence, but no nation can
stand up against what the steamship companies call "an act of
God." While the whole fighting force was doing its best to defend
their mountain pathway, there occurred a volcanic outburst,
with some local tremors, and the result was the complete filling
up of the pass--their only outlet. Instead of a passage, a new
ridge, sheer and high, stood between them and the sea; they were
walled in, and beneath that wall lay their whole little army.
Very few men were left alive, save the slaves; and these now seized
their opportunity, rose in revolt, killed their remaining masters
Herland |
