| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Professor by Charlotte Bronte: she folds him to her breast, or takes him to walk with her alone
in the wood; then she reasons with him like any philosopher, and
to reason Victor is ever accessible; then she looks at him with
eyes of love, and by love Victor can be infallibly subjugated;
but will reason or love be the weapons with which in future the
world will meet his violence? Oh, no! for that flash in his
black eye--for that cloud on his bony brow--for that compression
of his statuesque lips, the lad will some day get blows instead
of blandishments--kicks instead of kisses; then for the fit of
mute fury which will sicken his body and madden his soul; then
for the ordeal of merited and salutary suffering, out of which he
The Professor |
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 Emma McChesney & Co. by Edna Ferber: lean, sensitive fingers of one who creates, shivered a little,
like a plant that is swept by an icy blast. Buck came over and
laid one hand on his wife's shaking shoulder.
"Emma, you're overtired! This--this thing you've been slaving
over has been too much for you."
With one hand, Emma reached up and patted the fingers that rested
protectingly on her shoulder. With the other, she wiped her
eyes, then, all contrition, grasped the slender brown hand of the
offended Koritz.
"Bennie, please forgive me! I--I didn't mean to laugh. I
wasn't laughing at your new skirt."
Emma McChesney & Co. |
