| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Virginian by Owen Wister: Still, "black-headed guy" justly fits him and his next
performance. He had made his plan for this like a true and (I
must say) inspired devil. And now the highly appreciative town of
Medicine Bow was to be treated to a manifestation of genius.
He sat playing his stud-poker. After a decent period of losing
and winning, which gave Trampas all proper time for a change of
luck and a repairing of his fortunes, he looked at Steve and said
amiably:"How does bed strike you?"
I was beside their table, learning gradually that stud-poker has
in it more of what I will call red pepper than has our Eastern
game. The Virginian followed his own question:"Bed strikes me,"
The Virginian |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith: to please him? Ha! what do I see? Miss Neville, by all that's happy!
Enter MISS NEVILLE.
MISS NEVILLE. My dear Hastings! To what unexpected good fortune, to
what accident, am I to ascribe this happy meeting?
HASTINGS. Rather let me ask the same question, as I could never have
hoped to meet my dearest Constance at an inn.
MISS NEVILLE. An inn! sure you mistake: my aunt, my guardian, lives
here. What could induce you to think this house an inn?
HASTINGS. My friend, Mr. Marlow, with whom I came down, and I, have
been sent here as to an inn, I assure you. A young fellow, whom we
accidentally met at a house hard by, directed us hither.
She Stoops to Conquer |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Exiles by Honore de Balzac: cleave the air on beating wings, I would fly----"
"Whither?" asked the exile.
"Up there," replied the boy.
On hearing this answer, the stranger seemed surprised; he looked
darkly at the youth, who remained silent. They seemed to communicate
by an unspeakable effusion of the spirit, hearing each other's
yearnings in the teeming silence, and going forth side by side, like
two doves sweeping the air on equal wing, till the boat, touching the
strand of the island, roused them from their deep reverie.
Then, each lost in thought, they went together to the sergeant's
house.
|
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 Mirror of the Sea by Joseph Conrad: indeed, if anywhere on earth, the weather may be trusted.
Yet not too implicitly. Even in the constitutional realm of Trade
Winds, north and south of the equator, ships are overtaken by
strange disturbances. Still, the easterly winds, and, generally
speaking, the easterly weather all the world over, is characterized
by regularity and persistence.
As a ruler, the East Wind has a remarkable stability; as an invader
of the high latitudes lying under the tumultuous sway of his great
brother, the Wind of the West, he is extremely difficult to
dislodge, by the reason of his cold craftiness and profound
duplicity.
The Mirror of the Sea |
