| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Man in Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart: trousers contained the usual miscellany of keys and small change,
while in his hip pocket was found a small pearl-handled revolver
of the type women usually keep around. A gold watch with a Masonic
charm had slid down between the mattress and the window, while a
showy diamond stud was still fastened in the bosom of his shirt.
Taken as a whole, the personal belongings were those of a man of
some means, but without any particular degree of breeding. The
doctor heaped them together.
"Either robbery was not the motive," he reflected, "or the thief
overlooked these things in his hurry."
The latter hypothesis seemed the more tenable, when, after a
The Man in Lower Ten |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery: "Yes, and oh, it's so good to be back," said Anne joyously. "I
could kiss everything, even to the clock. Marilla, a broiled
chicken! You don't mean to say you cooked that for me!"
"Yes, I did," said Marilla. "I thought you'd be hungry after
such a drive and need something real appetizing. Hurry and take
off your things, and we'll have supper as soon as Matthew comes in.
I'm glad you've got back, I must say. It's been fearful lonesome
here without you, and I never put in four longer days."
After supper Anne sat before the fire between Matthew and
Marilla, and gave them a full account of her visit.
"I've had a splendid time," she concluded happily, "and I feel
Anne of Green Gables |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The School For Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan: SIR PETER. That you are a Villain!--and so I leave you to your
conscience--
SURFACE. You are too Rash Sir Peter--you SHALL hear me--The man
who shuts out conviction by refusing to----
[Exeunt, SURFACE following and speaking.]
END OF THE FOURTH
ACT V
SCENE I.--The Library
Enter SURFACE and SERVANT
SURFACE. Mr. Stanley! and why should you think I would see him?--
you must know he came to ask something!
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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 First Inaugural Address by Abraham Lincoln: the clear and emphatic resolution which I now read:
"Resolved: that the maintenance inviolate
of the rights of the States, and especially
the right of each State to order and control
its own domestic institutions according to
its own judgment exclusively, is essential
to that balance of power on which the perfection
and endurance of our political fabric depend,
and we denounce the lawless invasion by armed
force of the soil of any State or Territory,
no matter under what pretext,
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