| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson: travel, I find I have written, since December, 90 CORNHILL pages of
magazine work - essays and stories: 40,000 words, and I am none
the worse - I am the better. I begin to hope I may, if not outlive
this wolverine upon my shoulders, at least carry him bravely like
Symonds and Alexander Pope. I begin to take a pride in that hope.
I shall be much interested to see your criticisms; you might
perhaps send them to me. I believe you know that is not dangerous;
one folly I have not - I am not touchy under criticism.
Lloyd and my wife both beg to be remembered; and Lloyd sends as a
present a work of his own. I hope you feel flattered; for this is
SIMPLY THE FIRST TIME HE HAS EVER GIVEN ONE AWAY. I have to buy my
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton by Edith Wharton: said.
She took the letter he held out in exchange for the cup she
proffered him, and, returning to her seat, broke the seal with
the languid gesture of the reader whose interests are all
inclosed in the circle of one cherished presence.
Her next conscious motion was that of starting to her feet, the
letter falling to them as she rose, while she held out to her
husband a long newspaper clipping.
"Ned! What's this? What does it mean?"
He had risen at the same instant, almost as if hearing her cry
before she uttered it; and for a perceptible space of time he and
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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 Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll: marked in inches, and began measuring the ground, and sticking
little pegs in here and there.
`At the end of two yards,' she said, putting in a peg to mark
the distance, `I shall give you your directions--have another
biscuit?'
`No, thank you,' said Alice,: `one's QUITE enough!'
`Thirst quenched, I hope?' said the Queen.
Alice did not know what to say to this, but luckily the Queen
did not wait for an answer, but went on. `At the end of THREE
yards I shall repeat them--for fear of your forgetting them.
At then end of FOUR, I shall say good-bye. And at then end of
Through the Looking-Glass |
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 Peter Pan by James M. Barrie: up the cry.
"I think I heard you volunteer, Starkey," said Hook, purring
again.
"No, by thunder!" Starkey cried.
"My hook thinks you did," said Hook, crossing to him. "I
wonder if it would not be advisable, Starkey, to humour the hook?"
"I'll swing before I go in there," replied Starkey doggedly,
and again he had the support of the crew.
"Is this mutiny?" asked Hook more pleasantly than ever.
"Starkey's ringleader!"
"Captain, mercy!" Starkey whimpered, all of a tremble now.
Peter Pan |
