| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from End of the Tether by Joseph Conrad: chair. "It looks as if the fellow had not the pluck
to play his own precious game openly," he thought.
This was true enough. In the face of Massy's last
rebuff Sterne dared not declare his knowledge. His
object was simply to get charge of the steamer and
keep it for some time. Massy would never forgive him
for forcing himself on; but if Captain Whalley left
the ship of his own accord, the command would devolve
upon him for the rest of the trip; so he hit upon the
brilliant idea of scaring the old man away. A vague
menace, a mere hint, would be enough in such a brazen
End of the Tether |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Rinkitink In Oz by L. Frank Baum: had become so greatly attached to King Rinkitink that
he was loth to leave him.
On a certain day they all bade good-bye to Ozma and
Dorothy and Glinda and the Wizard and all their good
friends in Oz, and were driven in the Red Wagon to the
edge of the Deadly Desert, which they crossed safely on
the Magic Carpet. They then made their way across the
Nome Kingdom and the Wheeler Country, where no one
molested them, to the shores of the Nonestic Ocean.
There they found the boat with the silver lining still
lying undisturbed on the beach.
Rinkitink In Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Deputy of Arcis by Honore de Balzac: does not belong to him! What will result? why, the opportunity for a
fierce challenge in the Chamber."
"Which you will take upon yourself to make?" asked Rastignac.
"Ah! I don't know about that. The matter would have to be rather more
studied, and the turn the case might take more certain, if I had
anything to do with it."
"So, for the present," remarked the minister, "the whole thing amounts
to an application of Basile's famous theory about calumny: 'good to
set a-going, because some of it will always stick.'"
"Calumny!" exclaimed Vinet, "that remains to be seen. Perhaps a good
round of gossip is all that can be made of it. Monsieur de Trailles,
|
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 The Redheaded Outfield by Zane Grey: he morning I went to my hotel, had breakfast,
attended to my mail, and then boarded a car to go
out to Milly's house. She was waiting for me on
the porch, dressed as I liked to see her, in blue
and white, and she wore violets that matched the
color of her eyes.
``Hello, Connie. I haven't seen a morning
paper, but I know from your face that you lost
the Rochester series,'' said Milly, with a gay
laugh.
``I guess yes. The Rube blew up, and if we
The Redheaded Outfield |
