| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: little opening betwixt the German's arm and his body, trying first
on one side, then the other; but the German stood square in the
most unaccommodating posture that can be imagined: - the dwarf
might as well have been placed at the bottom of the deepest draw-
well in Paris; so he civilly reached up his hand to the German's
sleeve, and told him his distress. - The German turn'd his head
back, looked down upon him as Goliah did upon David, - and
unfeelingly resumed his posture.
I was just then taking a pinch of snuff out of my monk's little
horn box. - And how would thy meek and courteous spirit, my dear
monk! so temper'd to BEAR AND FORBEAR! - how sweetly would it have
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, etc. by Oscar Wilde: also informed by Mrs. Otis, who, I may say, is no mean authority
upon Art - having had the privilege of spending several winters in
Boston when she was a girl - that these gems are of great monetary
worth, and if offered for sale would fetch a tall price. Under
these circumstances, Lord Canterville, I feel sure that you will
recognise how impossible it would be for me to allow them to remain
in the possession of any member of my family; and, indeed, all such
vain gauds and toys, however suitable or necessary to the dignity
of the British aristocracy, would be completely out of place among
those who have been brought up on the severe, and I believe
immortal, principles of republican simplicity. Perhaps I should
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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 Men of Iron by Howard Pyle: Montaigne, wouldst thou dare encounter him in the lists?"
The Earl's question fell upon Myles so suddenly and unexpectedly
that for a moment or so he stood staring at the speaker with
mouth agape. Meanwhile the Earl sat looking calmly back at him,
slowly stroking his beard the while.
It was Sir James Lee's voice that broke the silence. "Thou
heardst thy Lord speak," said he, harshly. "Hast thou no tongue
to answer, sirrah?"
"Be silent, Lee," said Lord Mackworth, quietly. "Let the lad have
time to think before he speaketh."
The sound of the words aroused Myles. He advanced to the table,
Men of Iron |
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 Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: itself to him, was utterly lost to him when he glanced at the
picture with their eyes. He saw a well-painted (no, not even
that--he distinctly saw now a mass of defects) repetition of
those endless Christs of Titian, Raphael, Rubens, and the same
soldiers and Pilate. It was all common, poor, and stale, and
positively badly painted--weak and unequal. They would be
justified in repeating hypocritically civil speeches in the
presence of the painter, and pitying him and laughing at him when
they were alone again.
The silence (though it lasted no more than a minute) became too
intolerable to him. To break it, and to show he was not agitated,
Anna Karenina |
