| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Bickerstaff-Partridge Papers by Jonathan Swift: bricked? Why, sirrah, says I, you know me well enough; you know I
am not dead, and how dare you affront me in this manner?
Alack-a-day, replies the fellow, why 'tis in print, and the whole
town knows you are dead; why, there's Mr. White the joiner is but
fitting screws to your coffin, he'll be here with it in an
instant: he was afraid you would have wanted it before this time.
Sirrah, Sirrah, says I, you shall know tomorrow to your cost,
that I am alive, and alive like to be. Why, 'tis strange, sir,
says he, you should make such a secret of your death to us that
are your neighbours; it looks as if you had a design to defraud
the church of its dues; and let me tell you, for one that has
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde: reconciliation? I think we might leave the two brothers together.
MISS PRISM. Cecily, you will come with us.
CECILY. Certainly, Miss Prism. My little task of reconciliation
is over.
CHASUBLE. You have done a beautiful action to-day, dear child.
MISS PRISM. We must not be premature in our judgments.
CECILY. I feel very happy. [They all go off except JACK and
ALGERNON.]
JACK. You young scoundrel, Algy, you must get out of this place as
soon as possible. I don't allow any Bunburying here.
[Enter MERRIMAN.]
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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 Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy: speak wrongfully for a zilver zixpence at such a time. I
don't see noo harm in it. To respect the dead is sound
doxology; and I wouldn't sell skellintons--leastwise
respectable skellintons--to be varnished for 'natomies,
except I were out o' work. But money is scarce, and throats
get dry. Why SHOULD death rob life o' fourpence? I say
there was no treason in it."
"Well, poor soul; she's helpless to hinder that or anything
now," answered Mother Cuxsom. "And all her shining keys
will be took from her, and her cupboards opened; and little
things a' didn't wish seen, anybody will see; and her wishes
The Mayor of Casterbridge |
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 Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley: America for ages; she has been doing so this very summer in what
hasty people would call a hasty, and violent, and ruthless way;
though I shall not say so, for I believe that Lady Why knows best.
She is doing so now steadily on the west coast of Norway, which is
rising quietly--all that vast range of mountain wall and iron-
bound cliff--at the rate of some four feet in a hundred years,
without making the least noise or confusion, or even causing an
extra ripple on the sea; so light and gentle, when she will, can
Madam How's strong finger be.
Now, if the mouth of that Chine at Bournemouth was lifted twenty
feet out of the sea, one thing would happen,--that the high tide
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