| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Extracts From Adam's Diary by Mark Twain: meaning an aged and mouldy joke. I turned pale at that, for I
have made many jokes to pass the weary time, and some of them could
have been of that sort, though I had honestly supposed that they
were new when I made them. She asked me if I had made one just
at the time of the catastrophe. I was obliged to admit that I had
made one to myself, though not aloud. It was this. I was thinking
about the Falls, and I said to myself, "How wonderful it is to see
that vast body of water tumble down there!" Then in an instant a
bright thought flashed into my head, and I let it fly, saying, "It
would be a deal more wonderful to see it tumble up there!"--and I
was just about to kill myself with laughing at it when all nature
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Miracle Mongers and Their Methods by Harry Houdini: teeth, through a one-inch board; or to nail
together, with his teeth, two 3/4-inch boards.
He could draw with his teeth a large nail that
had been driven completely through a two-inch
plank. Then he would screw an ordinary two-
inch screw into a hardwood plank with his
teeth, pull it out with his teeth, and then screw
it into the plank again and offer $100 to any
man who could pull it out with a large pair
of pincers which he proffered for the purpose.
When he had performed these stunts in
Miracle Mongers and Their Methods |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Rezanov by Gertrude Atherton: begun with audible expressions of approval. They
were now shouting and stamping and clapping.
Suddenly, as once more she danced back to the very
center of the room, her bosom heaving, her eyes
like stars, her red lips parted, Don Ignacio, long
since recovered from his spleen, invaded his pocket
and flung a handful of silver at her feet. It was a
signal. Gold and silver coins, chains, watches,
jewels, bounced over the floor, to be laughingly
ignored. Rezanov looked on in amazement, won-
dering if this were a part of the performance and
Rezanov |
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 The Brother of Daphne by Dornford Yates: slipper touched the polished boards, and her other foot swung
gently to and fro. One of her short sleeves she had pushed up to
the shoulder and was looking critically at a scratch, which
showed red, high up on her round, white arm. A simple evening
frock of old-rose colour, dainty old gold slippers to keep her
feet. Her skin was wonderfully white, her hair dark and brown.
This was cut straight across her forehead in French fashion, and
then brought down and away over the ears. Her face was towards
me, as she examined her arm. I could see she was very pretty.
"Don't you think you ought to apologize?" she said suddenly.
Her words took me by surprise. For a moment I did not answer.
The Brother of Daphne |
