| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Bronte Sisters: tranquillity, her cheerfulness even - but never to those feelings
which would appear to her, henceforth, as a fleeting fancy, a vain,
illusive dream; especially as there was no one to remind her of my
existence - no means of assuring her of my fervent constancy, now
that we were so far apart, and delicacy forbade me to see her or to
write to her, for months to come at least. And how could I engage
her brother in my behalf? how could I break that icy crust of shy
reserve? Perhaps he would disapprove of my attachment now as
highly as before; perhaps he would think me too poor - too lowly
born, to match with his sister. Yes, there was another barrier:
doubtless there was a wide distinction between the rank and
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Crisis in Russia by Arthur Ransome: down. But on passing under it we came into a wide
courtyard surrounded by two-story whitewashed buildings
that seemed scarcely to have suffered at all. We found the
refectory in one of these buildings. It was astonishingly
clean. There were wooden tables, of course without cloths,
and each man had a wooden spoon and a hunk of bread. A
great bowl of really excellent soup was put down in the
middle of table, and we fell to hungrily enough. I made
more mess on the table than any one else, because it requires
considerable practice to convey almost boiling soup from a
distant bowl to one's mouth without spilling it in a shallow
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne: banana-leaves, notched round the edges, and set off with brilliant colours.
I could easily have knocked down this native, who was within a short length;
but I thought that it was better to wait for real hostile demonstrations.
Between Europeans and savages, it is proper for the Europeans to parry
sharply, not to attack.
During low water the natives roamed about near the Nautilus,
but were not troublesome; I heard them frequently repeat the word
"Assai," and by their gestures I understood that they invited me
to go on land, an invitation that I declined.
So that, on that day, the boat did not push off, to the great displeasure
of Master Land, who could not complete his provisions.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea |
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 Virginian by Owen Wister: advice to her niece in private, and when they came to leave, she
stood at the front door holding both their hands a moment.
"God bless you, my dears," she told them. "And when you come next
time, I'll have the nursery ready."
And so it happened that before she left this world, the
great-aunt was able to hold in her arms the first of their many
children.
Judge Henry at Sunk Creek had his wedding present ready. His
growing affairs in Wyoming needed his presence in many places
distant from his ranch, and he made the Virginian his partner.
When the thieves prevailed at length, as they did, forcing cattle
The Virginian |
