| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen: stay would therefore militate against her own happiness,
it would be better for Marianne than an immediate return
into Devonshire.
Her carefulness in guarding her sister from ever
hearing Willoughby's name mentioned, was not thrown away.
Marianne, though without knowing it herself, reaped all
its advantage; for neither Mrs. Jennings, nor Sir John,
nor even Mrs. Palmer herself, ever spoke of him before her.
Elinor wished that the same forbearance could have extended
towards herself, but that was impossible, and she was
obliged to listen day after day to the indignation of them all.
Sense and Sensibility |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Koran: the taster to taste; unless it be dead (of itself), or blood that
has been shed, or the flesh of swine,- for that is a horror- or an
abomination that is consecrated to other than God. But he who is
forced, not wilfully nor transgressing,- then, verily, thy Lord is
forgiving and merciful.'
To those who were Jews did we prohibit everything that hath a
solid hoof; and of oxen and sheep did we prohibit to them the fat,
save what the backs of both do bear, or the inwards, or what is
mixed with bone; with that did we recompense them for their rebellion,
for, verily, we are true.
And if they give thee the lie, say, 'Your Lord is of ample mercy,
The Koran |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells: respect I shall certainly provoke criticism. My particular
province is speculative philosophy. My knowledge of com-
parative physiology is confined to a book or two, but it
seems to me that Carver's suggestions as to the reason of
the rapid death of the Martians is so probable as to be
regarded almost as a proven conclusion. I have assumed
that in the body of my narrative.
At any rate, in all the bodies of the Martians that were
examined after the war, no bacteria except those already
known as terrestrial species were found. That they did not
bury any of their dead, and the reckless slaughter they per-
War of the Worlds |
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 Contrast by Royall Tyler: suggested the name of the play. Thoroughly natural
in its plan and characters, it was a bold venture of a
young writer in a new literary domain.
The character of Jonathan is a thoroughly original
conception; nothing of the typical Yankee, since so
familiar and popular, had as yet appeared, either on
the stage or in print.
The 'Contrast' was first performed<2> at the John
Street Theater, New-York City, on the 16th of April,
1787, and undoubtedly met with the approval of the
public, as it was repeated on the 18th of April, the 2d
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