| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Battle of the Books by Jonathan Swift: her, she may be received into everlasting habitations. Give her
grace to continue sincerely thankful to Thee for the many favours
Thou hast bestowed upon her, the ability and inclination and
practice to do good, and those virtues which have procured the
esteem and love of her friends, and a most unspotted name in the
world. O God, Thou dispensest Thy blessings and Thy punishments,
as it becometh infinite justice and mercy; and since it was Thy
pleasure to afflict her with a long, constant, weakly state of
health, make her truly sensible that it was for very wise ends, and
was largely made up to her in other blessings, more valuable and
less common. Continue to her, O Lord, that firmness and constancy
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from My Antonia by Willa Cather: They laughed and waved to me as they passed, and I could see
they were in great good humour. After supper, when grandfather
set off to church, grandmother and I took my short cut
through the willow hedge and went over to hear about the visit
to the Shimerdas'.
We found Mrs. Harling with Charley and Sally on the front porch,
resting after her hard drive. Julia was in the hammock--
she was fond of repose--and Frances was at the piano,
playing without a light and talking to her mother through
the open window.
Mrs. Harling laughed when she saw us coming. `I expect you left
My Antonia |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Secret Places of the Heart by H. G. Wells: spread by the Romans all over western Europe."
"And it smothers the history of Europe. You can't see Europe
because of it. Europe is obsessed by Rome. Everywhere Marble
Arches and ARCS DE TRIOMPHE. You never get away from it. It
is like some old gentleman who has lost his way in a speech
and keeps on repeating the same thing. And can't sit down.
'The empire, gentlemen--the Empire. Empire.' Rome itself is
perfectly frightful. It stares at you with its great round
stupid arches as though it couldn't imagine that you could
possibly want anything else for ever. Saint Peter's and that
frightful Monument are just the same stuff as the Baths of
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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 Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey: report to the Adjutant-General at Austin. Longstreth, you'll
never prevent another arrest."
Longstreth sat white with working jaw.
"Longstreth, you've shown your hand," said Duane, in a voice
that carried far and held those who heard. "Any honest citizen
of Fairdale can now see what's plain--yours is a damn poor
hand! You're going to hear me call a spade a spade. In the two
years you've been Mayor you've never arrested one rustler.
Strange, when Fairdale's a nest for rustlers! You've never sent
a prisoner to Del Rio, let alone to Austin. You have no jail.
There have been nine murders during your office--innumerable
The Lone Star Ranger |
