| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Lesson of the Master by Henry James: scarce ever been by the picture of such a demonstration in his
favour. "You're really the kindest of men. Cela s'est passe comme
ca? - and I've been sitting here with you all this time and never
apprehended it and never thanked you!"
"Thank Miss Fancourt - it was she who wound me up. She has made me
feel as if I had read your novel."
"She's an angel from heaven!" Paul declared.
"She is indeed. I've never seen any one like her. Her interest in
literature's touching - something quite peculiar to herself; she
takes it all so seriously. She feels the arts and she wants to
feel them more. To those who practise them it's almost humiliating
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift: herbs, roots, berries, the corrupted flesh of animals, or all
mingled together: and it was peculiar in their temper, that they
were fonder of what they could get by rapine or stealth, at a
greater distance, than much better food provided for them at
home. If their prey held out, they would eat till they were ready
to burst; after which, nature had pointed out to them a certain
root that gave them a general evacuation.
"There was also another kind of root, very juicy, but somewhat
rare and difficult to be found, which the YAHOOS sought for with
much eagerness, and would suck it with great delight; it produced
in them the same effects that wine has upon us. It would make
Gulliver's Travels |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift: increase very fast, and my box was tossed up and down, like a
sign in a windy day. I heard several bangs or buffets, as I
thought given to the eagle (for such I am certain it must have
been that held the ring of my box in his beak), and then, all on
a sudden, felt myself falling perpendicularly down, for above a
minute, but with such incredible swiftness, that I almost lost my
breath. My fall was stopped by a terrible squash, that sounded
louder to my ears than the cataract of Niagara; after which, I
was quite in the dark for another minute, and then my box began
to rise so high, that I could see light from the tops of the
windows. I now perceived I was fallen into the sea. My box, by
Gulliver's Travels |
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 Whirligigs by O. Henry: Lorison's face during the conversation, no doubt for
some indication of his intention to render succour. Now,
at the failure of the sign, and at the movement made to
continue the ignominious progress, she abandoned hope,
and addressed him thus, pointedly:
"You damn chalk-faced quitter! You was thinking
of giving me a hand, but you let the cop talk you out of
it the first word. You're a dandy to tie to. Say, if you
ever get a girl, she'll have a picnic. Won't she work
you to the queen's taste! Oh, my!" She concluded
with a taunting, shrill laugh that rasped Lorison like a
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