| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: Advanced Lady to come with us."
"Na, how extraordinary!" cried Elsa. "But this moment the gnadige Frau and
I were debating whether--"
"Yes, I met her coming out of her room and she said she was charmed with
the idea. Like all of us, she has never been to Schlingen. She is
downstairs now, talking to Herr Erchardt. I think we shall have a
delightful afternoon."
"Is Fritzi waiting too?" asked Elsa.
"Of course he is, dear child--as impatient as a hungry man listening for
the dinner bell. Run along!"
Elsa ran, and Frau Kellermann smiled at me significantly. In the past she
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Voice of the City by O. Henry: never drink during business hours. After a job I
can crook elbows with my old friend Barney with a
clear conscience. What are you taking?"
The waiter came with the little decanters and the
siphon and left them alone again.
"You've called the turn," said Woods, as he rolled
the little gold pencil about with a thoughtful fore-
finger. I've got to pass you up. I can't lay a
hand on you. If I'd a-paid that money back -- but
I didn't, and that settles it. It's a bad break I'm
making, Johnny, but I can't dodge it. You helped
The Voice of the City |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Finished by H. Rider Haggard: to the isigodhlo. Let this man have a start of ten spears'
length and run to the eastern gate, as he would have made
Macumazahn run to the king's house, and let his companions, those
who would have hunted Macumazahn, hunt him.
"If he wins through to the gate he can go on to the Government in
Natal and tell them of the cruelty of the Zulus. Only then, let
those who hunted him be brought before me for trial and perhaps
we shall see how _they_ can run."
Now the poor wretch caught hold of my hand, begging me to
intercede for him, but soldiers who had come up dragged him away
and, having measured the distance allowed him, set him on a mark
|
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 My Bondage and My Freedom by Frederick Douglass: in this unauthorized way, after I spent a night and a day at his
house, gave me my present name. He had been reading the "Lady of
the Lake," and was pleased to regard me as a suitable person to
wear this, one of Scotland's many famous names. Considering the
noble hospitality and manly character of Nathan Johnson, I have
felt that he, better than I, illustrated the virtues of the great
Scottish chief. Sure I am, that had any slave-catcher entered
his domicile, with a view to molest any one of his household, he
would have shown himself like him of the "stalwart hand."
The reader will be amused at my ignorance, when I tell the
notions I had of the state of northern wealth, enterprise, and
My Bondage and My Freedom |
