| 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: on the pavement adjoining, and expounded the subject
according to their lights.
"'Tis five-and-forty years since I had my settlement in this
here town," said Coney; "but daze me if I ever see a man
wait so long before to take so little! There's a chance even
for thee after this, Nance Mockridge." The remark was
addressed to a woman who stood behind his shoulder--the same
who had exhibited Henchard's bad bread in public when
Elizabeth and her mother entered Casterbridge.
"Be cust if I'd marry any such as he, or thee either,"
replied that lady. "As for thee, Christopher, we know what
 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 Little Rivers by Henry van Dyke: of night. There was no sound save the rushing of the water and the
crackling of the camp-fire on the shore. We talked of many things
in the heavens above, and the earth beneath, and the waters under
the earth; touching lightly here and there as the spirit of vagrant
converse led us. Favonius has the good sense to talk about himself
occasionally and tell his own experience. The man who will not do
that must always be a dull companion. Modest egoism is the salt of
conversation: you do not want too much of it; but if it is
altogether omitted, everything tastes flat. I remember well the
evening when he told me the story of the Sheep of the Wilderness.
"I was ill that summer," said he, "and the doctor had ordered me to
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