| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen: "A great and increasing one," replied the other,
in a low voice. "I was only thirteen when it happened;
and though I felt my loss perhaps as strongly as one
so young could feel it, I did not, I could not,
then know what a loss it was." She stopped for a moment,
and then added, with great firmness, "I have no sister,
you know--and though Henry--though my brothers are
very affectionate, and Henry is a great deal here,
which I am most thankful for, it is impossible for me
not to be often solitary."
"To be sure you must miss him very much."
Northanger Abbey |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Girl with the Golden Eyes by Honore de Balzac: desire. And what could one think of a woman, having no lover, who
should have known how to resist a young man armed with beauty which is
the intelligence of the body, with intelligence which is a grace of
the soul, armed with moral force and fortune, which are the only two
real powers? Yet, in triumphing with such ease, De Marsay was bound to
grow weary of his triumphs; thus, for about two years he had grown
very weary indeed. And diving deep into the sea of pleasures he
brought back more grit than pearls. Thus had he come, like potentates,
to implore of Chance some obstacle to surmount, some enterprise which
should ask the employment of his dormant moral and physical strength.
Although Paquita Valdes presented him with a marvelous concentration
The Girl with the Golden Eyes |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Rescue by Joseph Conrad: followed Mrs. Travers into her cabin.
It was pitch dark in there. He could see absolutely nothing and
was oppressed by the profound stillness unstirred even by the
sound of breathing.
"I am going on shore," he began, breaking the black and deathlike
silence enclosing him and the invisible woman. "I wanted to say
good-bye."
"You are going on shore," repeated Mrs. Travers. Her voice was
emotionless, blank, unringing.
"Yes, for a few hours, or for life," Lingard said in measured
tones. "I may have to die with them or to die maybe for others.
The Rescue |
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 Enchanted Island of Yew by L. Frank Baum: Among the wonderful things that the Red Rogue's former master, the
wise scholar and magician, had made were two large enchanted mirrors,
which were set on each side of the great hallway of the castle. Heavy
curtains were drawn over the surfaces of these mirrors, because they
both possessed a dreadful magical power. For whenever any one looked
into one of them his reflection was instantly caught and imprisoned in
the mirror, and his body at the same time became invisible to all
earthly eyes, only the mirror retaining his form.
While considering a way to prevent the prince from freeing the Lady
Seseley, the Red Rogue happened to think of these mirrors, which had
never yet been used. So he went stealthily into the great hall and
The Enchanted Island of Yew |
