| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Glasses by Henry James: ahead. She swears to me that though the 'bar' is too cruel she
wears when she's alone what she has been ordered to wear. But when
the deuce is she alone? It's herself of course that she has
swindled worst: she has put herself off, so insanely that even her
conceit but half accounts for it, with little inadequate
concessions, little false measures and preposterous evasions and
childish hopes. Her great terror is now that Iffield, who already
has suspicions, who has found out her pince-nez but whom she has
beguiled with some unblushing hocus-pocus, may discover the
dreadful facts; and the essence of what she wanted this morning was
in that interest to square me, to get me to deny indignantly and
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tess of the d'Urbervilles, A Pure Woman by Thomas Hardy: Tess, as much as you. I used to wish to be a teacher
of men, and it was a great disappointment to me when I
found I could not enter the Church. I admired
spotlessness, even though I could lay no claim to it,
and hated impurity, as I hope I do now. Whatever one
may think of plenary inspiration, one must heartily
subscribe to these words of Paul: 'Be thou an example--
in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in
faith, in purity.' It is the only safeguard for us
poor human beings. 'INTEGER VITAE,' says a Roman poet,
who is strange company for St Paul----
Tess of the d'Urbervilles, A Pure Woman |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen: "for I have a good deal to say to you. This living
of Colonel Brandon's--can it be true?--has he really given
it to Edward?--I heard it yesterday by chance, and was
coming to you on purpose to enquire farther about it."
"It is perfectly true.--Colonel Brandon has given
the living of Delaford to Edward."
"Really!--Well, this is very astonishing!--no
relationship!--no connection between them!--and now
that livings fetch such a price!--what was the value of this?"
"About two hundred a year."
"Very well--and for the next presentation to a living
Sense and Sensibility |
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 Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum: thrusting her hand into the same drawer as before,
touched the wolf and transformed it into a bird with
gorgeous colored feathers. This bird was larger than a
parrot and of a somewhat different form, but Ervic had
never seen one like it before.
"Sing!" said Reera to the bird, which had perched
itself on a big wooden peg -- as if it had been in the
cottage before and knew just what to do.
And the bird sang jolly, rollicking songs with words
to them -- just as a person who had been carefully
trained might do. The songs were entertaining and Ervic
Glinda of Oz |
