| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Mansion by Henry van Dyke: remember
your old doctor?"
"Yes," he cried--"yes; your voice has not changed at all.
I'm glad indeed to see you, Doctor McLean, especially now.
All this seems very strange to me, almost oppressive.
I wonder if--but may I go with you, do you suppose?"
"Surely," answered the doctor, with his familiar smile; "it will
do you good. And you also must have a mansion in the city
waiting
for you--a fine one, too--are you not looking forward to it?"
"Yes," replied the other, hesitating a moment; "yes--I believe
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Rescue by Joseph Conrad: really have any doubt?" she added, significantly.
He made a sudden movement toward her, betraying so much passion
that Mrs. Travers thought, "I shan't come out alive this time,"
and yet he was there, motionless before her, as though he had
never stirred. It was more as though the earth had made a sudden
movement under his feet without being able to destroy his
balance. But the earth under Mrs. Travers' feet had made no
movement and for a second she was overwhelmed by wonder not at
this proof of her own self-possession but at the man's immense
power over himself. If it had not been for her strange inward
exhaustion she would perhaps have surrendered to that power. But
The Rescue |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Alkahest by Honore de Balzac: "God be praised! you are still alive!" he cried, raising her.
A glass vessel had broken into fragments over Madame Claes, who saw
her husband standing by her, pale, terrified, and almost livid.
"My dear, I forbade you to come here," he said, sitting down on the
stairs, as though prostrated. "The saints have saved your life! By
what chance was it that my eyes were on the door when you opened it?
We have just escaped death."
"Then I might have been happy!" she exclaimed.
"My experiment has failed," continued Balthazar. "You alone could I
forgive for that terrible disappointment. I was about to decompose
nitrogen. Go back to your own affairs."
|
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 Heritage of the Desert by Zane Grey: "Mescal, here you are," he greeted. "How about the sheep?"
"Piute's driving them down to the lower range. There are a thousand
coyotes hanging about the flock."
"That's bad," rejoined August." Jack, there's evidently some real
shooting in store for you. We'll pack to-day and get an early start
to-morrow. I'll put you on Noddle; he's slow, but the easiest climber I
ever owned. He's like riding
what's the matter with you? What's happened to make you angry?"
One of his long strides spanned the distance between them.
"Oh, nothing," said Hare, flushing.
"Lad, I know of few circumstances that justify a lie. You've met Snap."
The Heritage of the Desert |
