| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Where There's A Will by Mary Roberts Rinehart: the door, and a hush fell on the party. I slipped my bolt and
peeped out. Framed in the doorway was Mr. Pierce, with Doctor
Barnes looking over his shoulder.
The people in the spring-house were abject. That's the only word
for it. Craven, somebody suggested later, and they were that,
too. They smiled sickly grins and tried to be defiant, and most
of them tried to put down whatever they held in their hands
and to look innocent. If you ever saw a boy when his school-
teacher asks him what he has in his mouth, and multiply the boy
thirty times in number and four times in size, you'll know how
they looked.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Divine Comedy (translated by H.F. Cary) by Dante Alighieri: Benacus' bosom holds not, tumbling o'er
Down falls, and winds a river flood beneath
Through the green pastures. Soon as in his course
The steam makes head, Benacus then no more
They call the name, but Mincius, till at last
Reaching Governo into Po he falls.
Not far his course hath run, when a wide flat
It finds, which overstretchmg as a marsh
It covers, pestilent in summer oft.
Hence journeying, the savage maiden saw
'Midst of the fen a territory waste
 The Divine Comedy (translated by H.F. Cary) |