| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith: joy. Yes, my dear friend, this union of our families will make our
personal friendships hereditary; and though my daughter's fortune is
but small--
SIR CHARLES. Why, Dick, will you talk of fortune to ME? My son is
possessed of more than a competence already, and can want nothing but a
good and virtuous girl to share his happiness and increase it. If they
like each other, as you say they do--
HARDCASTLE. IF, man! I tell you they DO like each other. My
daughter as good as told me so.
SIR CHARLES. But girls are apt to flatter themselves, you know.
HARDCASTLE. I saw him grasp her hand in the warmest manner myself; and
 She Stoops to Conquer |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Confidence by Henry James: and another, and her reading absorbed her still. He was so near her
that he could have touched her dress with the point of his umbrella.
At last she raised her eyes and rested them a while on the blue
horizon, straight in front of her, but as yet without turning
them aside. This, however, augmented the danger of her doing so,
and Bernard, with a good deal of an effort, rose to his feet.
The effort, doubtless, kept the movement from being either as light
or as swift as it might have been, and it vaguely attracted his
neighbor's attention. She turned her head and glanced at him,
with a glance that evidently expected but to touch him and pass.
It touched him, and it was on the point of passing; then it
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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 Rinkitink In Oz by L. Frank Baum: didn't you handle me gently?"
"There, there, Bilbil," said King Rinkitink
soothingly; "don't scold, my boy. Remember that these
are strangers, and we their guests." Then he turned to
Kitticut and remarked: "You have no talking goats on
your island, I suppose."
"We have no goats at all," replied the King; "nor
have we any animals, of any sort, who are able to
talk."
"I wish my animal couldn't talk, either," said
Rinkitink, winking comically at Inga and then looking
 Rinkitink In Oz |
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 Dunwich Horror by H. P. Lovecraft: saound o' wood a-startin' to crack an' split. An' all the whiles
he never see a thing, only them trees an' bushes a-bendin'. An'
when the swishin' saound got very fur off - on the rud towards
Wizard Whateley's an' Sentinel Hill - Luther he had the guts ter
step up whar he'd heerd it fust an' look at the graound. It was
all mud an' water, an' the sky was dark, an' the rain was wipin'
aout all tracks abaout as fast as could be; but beginnin' at the
glen maouth, whar the trees hed moved, they was still some o'
them awful prints big as bar'ls like he seen Monday.'
At this
point the first excited speaker interrupted.
 The Dunwich Horror |