| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Marriage Contract by Honore de Balzac: "They will keep the ball going through the winter; then, in the
spring, they will go to some watering-place, and we shall learn before
the year is out that the marriage is off."
"And, of course, we shall be given to understand," said others, "for
the sake of the honor of the two families, that the difficulties did
not come from either side, but the chancellor refused to consent; you
may be sure it will be some quibble about that entail which will cause
the rupture."
"Madame Evangelista," some said, "lived in a style that the mines of
Valencia couldn't meet. When the time came to melt the bell, and pay
the daughter's patrimony, nothing would be found to pay it with."
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy: you now."
"Oh do you?" said Sue, with a certain sickness of heart.
"Though I think you must be mistaken! How long ago was it?"
"About a month or two. A handsome, full-figured woman.
They had this room."
When Jude came back and sat down to supper Sue seemed moping and miserable.
"Jude," she said to him plaintively, at their parting that night upon
the landing, "it is not so nice and pleasant as it used to be with us!
I don't like it here--I can't bear the place! And I don't
like you so well as I did!"
"How fidgeted you seem, dear! Why do you change like this?"
Jude the Obscure |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne: those portraits would have to step forth, as he now did, and
meddle with a question of human guilt, passion, and anguish
"Hester Prynne," said the clergyman, "I have striven with my
young brother here, under whose preaching of the Word you have
been privileged to sit" -- here Mr. Wilson laid his hand on the
shoulder of a pale young man beside him -- "I have sought, I say,
to persuade this godly youth, that he should deal with you, here
in the face of Heaven, and before these wise and upright rulers,
and in hearing of all the people, as touching the vileness and
blackness of
The Scarlet Letter |
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 Young Forester by Zane Grey: rangers persuaded us."
It began to dawn upon me that Dick Leslie might, after all, turn out to be
good soil in which to plant some seeds of forestry. I said no more then, as
we were busy packing for the start, but when we had mounted I began to
talk. I told him all I had learned about trees, how I loved them, and how I
had determined to devote my life to their study, care, and development. As
we rode along under the wide-spreading pines I illustrated my remarks by
every example I could possibly use. The more I talked the more interested
Dick became, and this spurred me on. Perhaps I exaggerated, but my
conscience never pricked me. He began to ask questions.
We reached a spring at midday, and halted for a rest. I kept on pleading,
The Young Forester |
