| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Kenilworth by Walter Scott: and protection, still at Kenilworth, if she chose to make her
wrongs public, the Countess might have Tressilian for her
advocate, and the Queen for her judge; for so much Janet had
learned in her short conference with Wayland. She was,
therefore, on the whole, reconciled to her lady's proposal of
going towards Kenilworth, and so expressed herself; recommending,
however, to the Countess the utmost caution in making her arrival
known to her husband,
"Hast thou thyself been cautious, Janet?" said the Countess;
"this guide, in whom I must put my confidence, hast thou not
entrusted to him the secret of my condition?"
Kenilworth |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Poor and Proud by Oliver Optic: "Yes, ma'am," groaned Ann. "He'll whip me almost to death if I
don't bring home half a dollar."
"You can tell him you fell down and broke the candy," suggested
the lady.
"He won't believe me; he'll say I sold the candy and spent the
money. O, dear me."
"You can show him the pieces."
"Boo, hoo, hoo! Then he'll say I broke it on purpose, because I
was too lazy to sell it; and then he'll kill me--I know he will."
"I will go and see him, and tell him about the accident. Where do
you live?"
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Lady Susan by Jane Austen: wish we could bring dear Frederica too, but I am sorry to say that her
mother's errand hither was to fetch her away; and, miserable as it made the
poor girl, it was impossible to detain her. I was thoroughly unwilling to
let her go, and so was her uncle; and all that could be urged we did urge;
but Lady Susan declared that as she was now about to fix herself in London
for several months, she could not be easy if her daughter were not with her
for masters, &c. Her manner, to be sure, was very kind and proper, and Mr.
Vernon believes that Frederica will now be treated with affection. I wish I
could think so too. The poor girl's heart was almost broke at taking leave
of us. I charged her to write to me very often, and to remember that if she
were in any distress we should be always her friends. I took care to see
Lady Susan |
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 Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson: would have to make the journey back again betwixt here and Fort
William. Then would follow a fresh delay till I got fresh authority,
and they had disavowed the officer - military man, notoriously ignorant
of the law, and that - I ken the cant of it. Then the journey a third
time; and there we should be on the immediate heels of the trial before
I had received my first instruction. Am I not right to call this a
conspiracy?"
"It will bear that colour," said I.
"And I'll go on to prove it you outright," said he. "They have the
right to hold James in prison, yet they cannot deny me to visit him.
They have no right to hold the witnesses; but am I to get a sight of
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