| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Poor and Proud by Oliver Optic: can. If you are a mind to let me have some, I will sell it for
you, and you may give me what you like."
The idea struck the little merchant very favorably. There were a
great many girls just like Ann Grippen, who were wasting their
time about the streets, and learning to be wicked. Why couldn't
she employ them to sell candy?
"I will try you," replied Katy.
"Well, I'm all ready to begin."
"Not yet," said the little candy merchant, with a smile.
"Yes, I am."
"Your face and hands are very dirty."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Heroes by Charles Kingsley: never match you here. For we care nothing here for boxing,
or for shooting with the bow; but for feasts, and songs, and
harping, and dancing, and running races, to stretch our limbs
on shore.'
So they danced there and ran races, the jolly merchant kings,
till the night fell, and all went in.
And then they ate and drank, and comforted their weary souls,
till Alcinous called a herald, and bade him go and fetch the
harper.
The herald went out, and fetched the harper, and led him in
by the hand; and Alcinous cut him a piece of meat, from the
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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 Reef by Edith Wharton: summons, he followed its bearer to the door at which, a
couple of hours earlier, he had taken leave of Mrs. Leath.
It opened to admit him to a large lamp-lit room which he
immediately perceived to be empty; and the fact gave him
time to note, even through his disturbance of mind, the
interesting degree to which Madame de Chantelle's apartment
"dated" and completed her. Its looped and corded curtains,
its purple satin upholstery, the Sevres jardinieres, the
rosewood fire-screen, the little velvet tables edged with
lace and crowded with silver knick-knacks and simpering
miniatures, reconstituted an almost perfect setting for the
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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 Master and Man by Leo Tolstoy: the warm hut at Grishkino. He again sat up, turned about,
muffled himself up, and settled down once more.
Once he fancied that he heard a distant cock-crow. He felt
glad, turned down his coat-collar and listened with strained
attention, but in spite of all his efforts nothing could be
heard but the wind whistling between the shafts, the flapping
of the kerchief, and the snow pelting against the frame of the
sledge.
Nikita sat just as he had done all the time, not moving and not
even answering Vasili Andreevich who had addressed him a
couple of times. 'He doesn't care a bit--he's probably
Master and Man |
