| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The School For Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan: of the purchase-money--I mean tho' in your necessitous character
of old Stanley----
MOSES. Ah! there is the Pity of all! He is so damned charitable.
ROWLEY. And I left a Hosier and two Tailors in the Hall--who
I'm sure won't be paid, and this hundred would satisfy 'em.
SIR OLIVER. Well--well--I'll pay his debts and his Benevolences
too--I'll take care of old Stanley--myself-- But now I am no more
a Broker, and you shall introduce me to the elder Brother
as Stanley----
ROWLEY. Not yet a while--Sir Peter I know means to call there about
this time.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from To-morrow by Joseph Conrad: halo of hair--Miss Bessie's head and bust. The
shouting stopped; the blind ran down. He lost
himself in thinking how awkward it was. Father
mad; no getting into the house. No money to get
back; a hungry chum in London who would begin
to think he had been given the go-by. "Damn!"
he muttered. He could break the door in, cer-
tainly; but they would perhaps bundle him into
chokey for that without asking questions--no great
matter, only he was confoundedly afraid of being
locked up, even in mistake. He turned cold at the
To-morrow |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The American by Henry James: that's part of the bargain."
M. Nioche bowed, with his hand on his heart. "Very well, sir;
you have already made me lively."
"Come and bring me my picture then; I will pay you for it,
and we will talk about that. That will be a cheerful subject!"
Mademoiselle Noemie had collected her accessories, and she gave
the precious Madonna in charge to her father, who retreated backwards
out of sight, holding it at arm's-length and reiterating his obeisance.
The young lady gathered her shawl about her like a perfect Parisienne,
and it was with the smile of a Parisienne that she took leave
of her patron.
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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 A Footnote to History by Robert Louis Stevenson: literary work, the Berlin Act; I am asking what is the result of
taking a word out of one state of society, and applying it to
another, of which the writers know less than nothing, and no
European knows much. Several interpreters and several days were
employed last September in the fruitless attempt to convey to the
mind of Laupepa the sense of the word "resignation." What can a
Samoan gather from the words, ELECTION? ELECTION OF A KING?
ELECTION OF A KING ACCORDING TO THE LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF SAMOA?
What are the electoral measures, what is the method of canvassing,
likely to be employed by two, three, four, or five, more or less
absolute princelings, eager to evince each other? And who is to
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