| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Witch, et. al by Anton Chekhov: heart, and he wished that walls might rise up from the ground and
prevent him from going further, and that he might be left with
nothing but the past.
At the station they went to the refreshment room and drank a
glass of sherry each. His father felt in his pocket for his purse
to pay.
"I will stand treat," said Anisim. The old man, touched and
delighted, slapped him on the shoulder, and winked to the waiter
as much as to say, "See what a fine son I have got."
"You ought to stay at home in the business, Anisim," he said;
"you would be worth any price to me! I would shower gold on you
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Another Study of Woman by Honore de Balzac: asked Joseph Bridau. "If you had to pay for the charms of conversation
as you do for those of dancing or of music, your fortune would be
inadequate! There is no second performance of the same flash of wit."
"And are we really so much deteriorated as these gentlemen think?"
said the Princesse de Cadignan, addressing the women with a smile at
once sceptical and ironical. "Because, in these days, under a regime
which makes everything small, you prefer small dishes, small rooms,
small pictures, small articles, small newspapers, small books, does
that prove that women too have grown smaller? Why should the human
heart change because you change your coat? In all ages the passions
remain the same. I know cases of beautiful devotion, of sublime
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The First Men In The Moon by H. G. Wells: "But where?"
"Up one of these side caverns."
"And then?"
"Think."
"Right - come on."
We strode on, and presently came to a radiating dark cavern. Cavor was in
front. He hesitated, and chose a black mouth that seemed to promise good
hiding. He went towards it and turned.
"Its dark," he said.
"Your legs and feet will light us. You're wet with that luminous stuff."
"But - "
The First Men In The Moon |
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 Out of Time's Abyss by Edgar Rice Burroughs: and there. With rapid fingers he unsnarled the different lengths,
the girl helping him, and then he tied the ends together until he
had three ropes about seventy-five feet in length. He fastened
these together at each end and without a word secured one of the
ends about the girl's body beneath her arms.
"Don't be frightened," he said at length, as he led her toward
the opening in the shaft. "I'm going to lower you to the river,
and then I'm coming down after you. When you are safe below,
give two quick jerks upon the rope. If there is danger there and
you want me to draw you up into the shaft, jerk once. Don't be
afraid--it is the only way."
Out of Time's Abyss |
