| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Records of a Family of Engineers by Robert Louis Stevenson: seen the SMEATON, and had even supposed, from the state of the
weather, that all hands were on board of her till he
approached more nearly and observed people upon the rock; but
not supposing that the assistance of his boat was necessary to
carry the artificers off the rock, he anchored on the lee-side
and began to fish, waiting, as usual, till the letters were
sent for, as the pilot-boat was too large and unwieldy for
approaching the rock when there was any roughness or run of
the sea at the entrance of the landing creeks.
Upon this fortunate change of circumstances, sixteen of
the artificers were sent, at two trips, in one of the boats,
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Heart of the West by O. Henry: Falls on a wedding tour. Why, didn't you see none of the signs all
along? Jackson Bird has been courting Willella ever since that day he
took her out riding.'
"'Then,' says I, in a kind of yell, 'what was all this zizzaparoola he
gives me about pancakes? Tell me /that/.'
"When I said 'pancakes' Uncle Emsley sort of dodged and stepped back.
"'Somebody's been dealing me pancakes from the bottom of the deck,' I
says, 'and I'll find out. I believe you know. Talk up,' says I, 'or
we'll mix a panful of batter right here.'
"I slid over the counter after Uncle Emsley. He grabbed at his gun,
but it was in a drawer, and he missed it two inches. I got him by the
Heart of the West |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Dracula by Bram Stoker: and they all stopped, and I thought he seemed to be saying,
`All these lives will I give you, ay, and many more and greater,
through countless ages, if you will fall down and worship me!'
And then a red cloud, like the color of blood, seemed to close
over my eyes, and before I knew what I was doing, I found myself
opening the sash and saying to Him, `Come in, Lord and Master!'
The rats were all gone, but He slid into the room through the sash,
though it was only open an inch wide, just as the Moon herself has
often come in through the tiniest crack and has stood before me
in all her size and splendor."
His voice was weaker, so I moistened his lips with the brandy again,
Dracula |
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 Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte: of supplying deficiencies, he prolonged still further my lessons in
Hindostanee, and grew more urgent in requiring their accomplishment:
and I, like a fool, never thought of resisting him--I could not
resist him.
One day I had come to my studies in lower spirits than usual; the
ebb was occasioned by a poignantly felt disappointment. Hannah had
told me in the morning there was a letter for me, and when I went
down to take it, almost certain that the long-looked for tidings
were vouchsafed me at last, I found only an unimportant note from
Mr. Briggs on business. The bitter check had wrung from me some
tears; and now, as I sat poring over the crabbed characters and
Jane Eyre |
