| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Perfect Wagnerite: A Commentary on the Niblung's Ring by George Bernard Shaw: order and the passing away of the old; but if you happen to be
part of the old order yourself, you must none the less fight for
your life. It seems hardly possible that the British army at the
battle of Waterloo did not include at least one Englishman
intelligent enough to hope, for the sake of his country and
humanity, that Napoleon might defeat the allied sovereigns; but
such an Englishman would kill a French cuirassier rather than be
killed by him just as energetically as the silliest soldier, ever
encouraged by people who ought to know better, to call his
ignorance, ferocity and folly, patriotism and duty. Outworn life
may have become mere error; but it still claims the right to die
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from At the Earth's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs: the mouth of the cave I waited the advance of the Sagoths.
As I stood there, tense and silent, listening for the
first faint sound that should announce the approach
of my enemies, a slight noise from within the cave's
black depths attracted my attention. It might have
been produced by the moving of the great body of some
huge beast rising from the rock floor of its lair.
At almost the same instant I thought that I caught the
scraping of hide sandals upon the ledge beyond the turn.
For the next few seconds my attention was considerably divided.
And then from the inky blackness at my right I saw two
At the Earth's Core |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Main Street by Sinclair Lewis: want to affront this mad woman. They backed off and tried to
rehearse. Carol did not hear Juanita, in front, protesting to
Maud Dyer, "If she calls it fun and holiness to sweat over
her darned old play-well, I don't!"
IV
Carol attended the only professional play which came to
Gopher Prairie that spring. It was a "tent show, presenting
snappy new dramas under canvas." The hard-working actors
doubled in brass, and took tickets; and between acts sang
about the moon in June, and sold Dr. Wintergreen's Surefire
Tonic for Ills of the Heart, Lungs, Kidneys, and Bowels. They
|
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 Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: and that many ways. He looked a little concerned at the
general expression of my condition being worse than his, but,
with a kind smile, looked a little wildly, and said, 'How can
that be? When you see me fettered, and in Newgate, and two
of my companions executed already, can you can your condition
is worse than mine?'
'Come, my dear,' says I, 'we have along piece of work to do,
if I should be to related, or you to hear, my unfortunate history;
but if you are disposed to hear it, you will soon conclude with
me that my condition is worse than yours.' 'How is that possible,'
says he again, 'when I expect to be cast for my life the very
Moll Flanders |
