| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte: favourite field just without the park; and, unfortunately, not
alone; for the tall, stately figure of Mr. Hatfield was slowly
sauntering by her side.
Here was a poser for me. It was my duty to interrupt the TETE-A-
TETE: but how was it to be done? Mr. Hatfield could not to be
driven away by so insignificant person as I; and to go and place
myself on the other side of Miss Murray, and intrude my unwelcome
presence upon her without noticing her companion, was a piece of
rudeness I could not be guilty of: neither had I the courage to
cry aloud from the top of the field that she was wanted elsewhere.
So I took the intermediate course of walking slowly but steadily
Agnes Grey |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: singing gayly to herself.
But when tempests rose, she hastened down below the stormy billows,
to where all was calm and still, and with her sister Spirits waited
till it should be fair again, listening sadly, meanwhile, to the cries
of those whom the wild waves wrecked and cast into the angry sea,
and who soon came floating down, pale and cold, to the Spirits'
pleasant home; then they wept pitying tears above the lifeless forms,
and laid them in quiet graves, where flowers bloomed, and jewels
sparkled in the sand.
This was Ripple's only grief, and she often thought of those who
sorrowed for the friends they loved, who now slept far down in the dim
Flower Fables |
