| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare: mortal preparation; and, by midnight, look to hear further from
me.
BERTRAM.
May I be bold to acquaint his grace you are gone about it?
PAROLLES.
I know not what the success will be, my lord, but the attempt I
vow.
BERTRAM.
I know thou art valiant; and, to the possibility of thy
soldiership, will subscribe for thee. Farewell.
PAROLLES.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Turn of the Screw by Henry James: "All alone--that child?"
"She's not alone, and at such times she's not a child: she's an old,
old woman." I scanned all the visible shore while Mrs. Grose took again,
into the queer element I offered her, one of her plunges of submission;
then I pointed out that the boat might perfectly be in a small refuge
formed by one of the recesses of the pool, an indentation masked,
for the hither side, by a projection of the bank and by a clump of trees
growing close to the water.
"But if the boat's there, where on earth's SHE?"
my colleague anxiously asked.
"That's exactly what we must learn." And I started to walk further.
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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 Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift: very populous;) and my master demanded the rate of a full room
whenever he showed me at home, although it were only to a single
family; so that for some time I had but little ease every day of
the week (except Wednesday, which is their Sabbath,) although I
were not carried to the town.
My master, finding how profitable I was likely to be, resolved to
carry me to the most considerable cities of the kingdom. Having
therefore provided himself with all things necessary for a long
journey, and settled his affairs at home, he took leave of his
wife, and upon the 17th of August, 1703, about two months after
my arrival, we set out for the metropolis, situate near the
Gulliver's Travels |
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 Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton by Edith Wharton: lids with the sharpness of the pain.
"I thought if you felt disposed to put your name down--" she
heard Parvis continue.
She opened her eyes with an effort, and they fell on the other
portrait. It was that of a youngish man, slightly built, in
rough clothes, with features somewhat blurred by the shadow of a
projecting hat-brim. Where had she seen that outline before?
She stared at it confusedly, her heart hammering in her throat
and ears. Then she gave a cry.
"This is the man--the man who came for my husband!"
She heard Parvis start to his feet, and was dimly aware that she
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