| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Baby Mine by Margaret Mayo: only ONE, it wouldn't be so bad, but to tell Alfred that he's
lost twins, he couldn't live through it."
"But Zoie," argued Aggie, "we can't have that mother hanging
around down stairs until that baby is an old man. She'll have us
arrested, the next thing."
"Why arrest US?" asked Zoie, with wide baby eyes. "WE didn't
take it. Old slow-poke took it." And she nodded toward the now
utterly vanquished Jimmy.
"That's right," murmured Jimmy, with a weak attempt at sarcasm,
"don't leave me out of anything good."
"It doesn't matter WHICH one she arrests," decided the practical
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield: Salisbury, myself. So I thought I'd better come and fetch her back. Yes,
yes, yes." The shrewd grey eyes narrowed again and searched anxiously,
quickly, the motionless liner. Again his overcoat was unbuttoned. Out
came the thin, butter-yellow watch again, and for the twentieth--fiftieth--
hundredth time he made the calculation.
"Let me see now. It was two fifteen when the doctor's launch went off.
Two fifteen. It is now exactly twenty-eight minutes past four. That is to
say, the doctor's been gone two hours and thirteen minutes. Two hours and
thirteen minutes! Whee-ooh!" He gave a queer little half-whistle and
snapped his watch to again. "But I think we should have been told if there
was anything up--don't you, Mr. Gaven?"
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson: instance, the old one having gone for Parliament House; and new
white shirts to live up to my new profession; I'm as gay and swell
and gummy as can be; only all my boots leak; one pair water, and
the other two simple black mud; so that my rig is more for the eye,
than a very solid comfort to myself. That is my budget. Dismal
enough, and no prospect of any coin coming in; at least for months.
So that here I am, I almost fear, for the winter; certainly till
after Christmas, and then it depends on how my bills 'turn out'
whether it shall not be till spring. So, meantime, I must whistle
in my cage. My cage is better by one thing; I am an Advocate now.
If you ask me why that makes it better, I would remind you that in
|
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 Bucolics by Virgil: I twine about thee, and three times withal
Around these altars do thine image bear:
Uneven numbers are the god's delight.
"Draw from the town, my songs, draw Daphnis home.
Now, Amaryllis, ply in triple knots
The threefold colours; ply them fast, and say
This is the chain of Venus that I ply.
"Draw from the town, my songs, draw Daphnis home.
As by the kindling of the self-same fire
Harder this clay, this wax the softer grows,
So by my love may Daphnis; sprinkle meal,
|
