| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Dawn O'Hara, The Girl Who Laughed by Edna Ferber: could have put my head on their combined shoulders and
wept down their blue satin neckties. In my memory of
Frau Knapf it seemed to me that I could discern a dim,
misty halo hovering above her tightly wadded hair. My
soul went out to her as I recalled the shining
cheek-bones, and the apron, and the chickens stewed in
butter. I would have given a year out of my life to have
heard that good-natured, "Nabben'." One aborigine had
been wont to emphasize his after-dinner arguments with a
toothpick brandished fiercely between thumb and finger.
The brandisher had always annoyed me. Now I thought of
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson: prevail on the famous physician to rifle the study of his
colleague, Dr. Jekyll? Then I remembered that of my original
character, one part remained to me: I could write my own hand; and
once I had conceived that kindling spark, the way that I must
follow became lighted up from end to end.
Thereupon, I arranged my clothes as best I could, and
summoning a passing hansom, drove to an hotel in Portland Street,
the name of which I chanced to remember. At my appearance (which
was indeed comical enough, however tragic a fate these garments
covered) the driver could not conceal his mirth. I gnashed my
teeth upon him with a gust of devilish fury; and the smile
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen: "You had no loss, I assure you; it is the horridest
nonsense you can imagine; there is nothing in the world in it
but an old man's playing at see-saw and learning Latin;
upon my soul there is not."
This critique, the justness of which was unfortunately
lost on poor Catherine, brought them to the door
of Mrs. Thorpe's lodgings, and the feelings of the
discerning and unprejudiced reader of Camilla gave way
to the feelings of the dutiful and affectionate son,
as they met Mrs. Thorpe, who had descried them from above,
in the passage. "Ah, Mother! How do you do?" said he,
Northanger Abbey |
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 Essays of Francis Bacon by Francis Bacon: like ruin, which breaks itself upon that it falls.
The Scripture exhorteth us to possess our souls in
patience. Whosoever is out of patience, is out of
possession of his soul. Men must not turn bees;
... animasque in vulnere ponunt.
Anger is certainly a kind of baseness; as it ap-
pears well in the weakness of those subjects in
whom it reigns; children, women, old folks, sick
folks. Only men must beware, that they carry
their anger rather with scorn, than with fear; so
that they may seem rather to be above the injury,
Essays of Francis Bacon |
