| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton by Edith Wharton: several barrels of paper and rubbish under the wooden balcony.
At length the work ceased and twilight fell. The sunset was
perfect and a roseate light, transfiguring the distant spire,
lingered late in the west. When it grew dark Mrs. Manstey drew
down the shades and proceeded, in her usual methodical manner, to
light her lamp. She always filled and lit it with her own hands,
keeping a kettle of kerosene on a zinc-covered shelf in a closet.
As the lamp-light filled the room it assumed its usual peaceful
aspect. The books and pictures and plants seemed, like their
mistress, to settle themselves down for another quiet evening,
and Mrs. Manstey, as was her wont, drew up her armchair to the
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from McTeague by Frank Norris: sweated under it--to be forced to torture her, of all women
in the world; could anything be worse than that?
"Hurt?" he inquired, anxiously.
She answered by frowning, with a sharp intake of breath,
putting her fingers over her closed lips and nodding her
head. McTeague sprayed the tooth with glycerite of
tannin, but without effect. Rather than hurt her he found
himself forced to the use of anaesthesia, which he hated.
He had a notion that the nitrous oxide gas was dangerous, so
on this occasion, as on all others, used ether.
He put the sponge a half dozen times to Trina's face, more
McTeague |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry: and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they
are wisest. They are the magi.
End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of THE GIFT OF THE MAGI.
The Gift of the Magi |
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 U. S. Project Trinity Report by Carl Maag and Steve Rohrer: Scientific Research and Development, viewed the detonation from a
trench at the Base Camp. The Base Camp is depicted in figure 2-5.
The military police of Guard Posts 1 and 2 were instructed to be in
foxholes approximately five kilometers west and north, respectively,
from their posts. The military police of Guard Posts 3 and 4 were
instructed to be in foxholes south of Mockingbird Gap. A radiological
safety monitor was assigned to the group from Guard Post 4. Guard Post
5 personnel were to be in the south shelter, Guard Post 6 personnel in
the west shelter, and Guard Post 7 personnel in the north shelter.
The military police of Guard Post 8 remained at that post, 400 meters
east of the Base Camp (9).
|
