| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Finished by H. Rider Haggard: she will never care for any man except as a woman may care for a
brother.
"But now see what happens. She, the wise, the instructed, the
man-despiser, meets a woman of another race who is sweet and
good, and learns to love her, not as maids and mothers love, but
as one loves the Spirit that she worships. Yes, yes, to her she
is a goddess to be worshipped, one whom she desires to serve with
all her heart and strength, to bow down before, making offerings,
and at the end to follow into death. So it comes about that this
Nombe, whose mind I thought to make as the wings of a bird
floating on the air while it searches for its prey, has become
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Simple Soul by Gustave Flaubert: Gremanville, one of her uncles, who was ruined and lived at Falaise on
the remainder of his estates. He always came at dinner-time and
brought an ugly poodle with him, whose paws soiled their furniture. In
spite of his efforts to appear a man of breeding (he even went so far
as to raise his hat every time he said "My deceased father"), his
habits got the better of him, and he would fill his glass a little too
often and relate broad stories. Felicite would show him out very
politely and say: "You have had enough for this time, Monsieur de
Gremanville! Hoping to see you again!" and would close the door.
She opened it gladly for Monsieur Bourais, a retired lawyer. His bald
head and white cravat, the ruffling of his shirt, his flowing brown
A Simple Soul |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare: As morning roses newly wash'd with dew:
Say she be mute, and will not speak a word;
Then I'll commend her volubility,
And say she uttereth piercing eloquence:
If she do bid me pack, I'll give her thanks,
As though she bid me stay by her a week:
If she deny to wed, I'll crave the day
When I shall ask the banns, and when be married.
But here she comes; and now, Petruchio, speak.
[Enter KATHERINA.]
Good morrow, Kate; for that's your name, I hear.
The Taming of the Shrew |
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 Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey: impossible for him to keep his head up for long he carefully
crawled out upon the plank until he could rest an arm and
shoulder upon the willows.
When he looked up it was to find the night strangely luminous
with fires. There was a bonfire on the extreme end of the,
bluff, another a hundred paces beyond. A great flare extended
over the brake in that direction. Duane heard a roaring on the
wind, and he knew his pursuers had fired the willows. He did
not believe that would help them much. The brake was dry
enough, but too green to burn readily. And as for the bonfires
he discovered that the men, probably having run out of wood,
The Lone Star Ranger |
