| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Essays of Francis Bacon by Francis Bacon: ingly used; for discourse ought to be as a field,
without coming home to any man. I knew two
noblemen, of the west part of England, whereof
the one was given to scoff, but kept ever royal cheer
in his house; the other would ask, of those that had
been at the other's table, Tell truly, was there never
a flout or dry blow given? To which the guest
would answer, Such and such a thing passed.
The lord would say, I thought, he would mar a
good dinner. Discretion of speech, is more than
eloquence; and to speak agreeably to him, with
Essays of Francis Bacon |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Vision Splendid by William MacLeod Raine: hailed from the bridge above. He looked up, to see Alice Frome,
caught gloriously in the wind like a winged Victory. Her hair was
parted in the middle with a touch of Greek simplicity and fell in
wavy ripples over her temples beneath the jaunty cap. She put her
arms on the railing and leaned forward, her chin tilted to an
oddly taking boyish piquancy.
"I say, give a fellow a bite."
By no catalogue of summarized details could this young woman have
laid claim to beauty, but in the flashing play of her expression,
the exquisite golden coloring, one could not evade the charm of a
certain warm witchery, of the passionate beat of innocent life.
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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 The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot: And went on in sunlight, into the Hofgarten, 10
And drank coffee, and talked for an hour.
Bin gar keine Russin, stamm' aus Litauen, echt deutsch.
And when we were children, staying at the archduke's,
My cousin's, he took me out on a sled,
And I was frightened. He said, Marie,
Marie, hold on tight. And down we went.
In the mountains, there you feel free.
I read, much of the night, and go south in the winter.
What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow
Out of this stony rubbish? Son of man, 20
The Waste Land |
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 Baby Mine by Margaret Mayo: persistently. Jimmy glanced anxiously toward the women for
instructions.
"I'll answer it," said Aggie with suspicious alacrity, and she
crossed quickly toward the 'phone. The scattered bits of
conversation that Zoie was able to gather from Aggie's end of the
wire did not tend to soothe her over-excited nerves. As for
Alfred, he was fortunately so engrossed with the babies that he
took little notice of what Aggie was saying.
"What woman?" asked Aggie into the 'phone. "Where's she from?"
The answer was evidently not reassuring. "Certainly not,"
exclaimed Aggie, "don't let her come up; send her away. Mrs.
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