| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte: "The late!" gasped. "Is he dead?"
"I mean the present gentleman, Mr. Edward's father," he explained.
I breathed again: my blood resumed its flow. Fully assured by
these words that Mr. Edward--MY Mr. Rochester (God bless him,
wherever he was!)--was at least alive: was, in short, "the present
gentleman." Gladdening words! It seemed I could hear all that was
to come--whatever the disclosures might be--with comparative
tranquillity. Since he was not in the grave, I could bear, I
thought, to learn that he was at the Antipodes.
"Is Mr. Rochester living at Thornfield Hall now?" I asked, knowing,
of course, what the answer would be, but yet desirous of deferring
Jane Eyre |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Sons of the Soil by Honore de Balzac: assembled. The fathers, mothers, and children of the prisoners were
going and coming and bringing them what they might want in prison. It
was a curious scene, that of a population one and all exasperated, but
nearly all silent, as though they had made up their minds to a course
of action. The old women and the young ones alone spoke. The children,
boys and girls, were perched on piles of wood and heaps of stones to
get a better sight of what was happening.
"They have chosen their time, those hussars of the guillotine," said
one old woman; "they are making a fete of it."
"Are you going to let 'em carry of your man like that? How shall you
manage to live for three months?--the best of the year, too, when he
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Royalty Restored/London Under Charles II by J. Fitzgerald Molloy: the owners." And when at last, after great destruction had taken
place, word was brought him from the king to "spare no house, but
pull them down everywhere before the fire," he cried out "like a
fainting woman," as Pepys recounts, "Lord! what can I do? I am
spent; people will not obey me."
Meanwhile, great bodies of the citizens of all classes had been
at work; some upon the cumbrous engines, others carrying water,
others levelling houses, but all their endeavours seemed
powerless to quell the raging flames. And it was notable when
first the pipes in the streets were opened, no water could be
found, whereon a messenger was sent to the works at Islington, in
|
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 Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: half-caste woman in my house, but she is going even now. You,
Dain, or whatever your name may be, I shall take you and that
woman to the island at the mouth of the river myself. Come with
me."
He led the way, following the bank as far as the forest. Ali
answered to his call, and, pushing their way through the dense
bush, they stepped into the canoe hidden under the overhanging
branches. Dain laid Nina in the bottom, and sat holding her head
on his knees. Almayer and Ali each took up a paddle. As they
were going to push out Ali hissed warningly. All listened.
In the great stillness before the bursting out of the
Almayer's Folly |
