| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tom Sawyer Abroad by Mark Twain: thing I ever see! Now, if I had a farm and another
person --"
"Don't I tell you it hasn't got anything to do with
farming? Farming is business, just common low-down
business: that's all it is, it's all you can say for it; but
this is higher, this is religious, and totally different."
"Religious to go and take the land away from
people that owns it?"
"Certainly; it's always been considered so."
Jim he shook his head, and says:
"Mars Tom, I reckon dey's a mistake about it
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley: were born, Lady Why, who sets everything to do that work for which
it is exactly fitted, set both of them their work. Analysis was
to take to pieces everything he found, and find out how it was
made. Synthesis was to put the pieces together again, and make
something fresh out of them. In a word, Analysis was to teach men
Science; and Synthesis to teach them Art.
But because Analysis was the elder, Madam How commanded Synthesis
never to put the pieces together till Analysis had taken them
completely apart. And, my child, if Synthesis had obeyed that
rule of his good old grandmother's, the world would have been far
happier, wealthier, wiser, and better than it is now.
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Shadow out of Time by H. P. Lovecraft: it alone had conquered the secret of time.
It had learned all
things that ever were known or ever would be known on the earth,
through the power of its keener minds to project themselves into
the past and future, even through gulfs of millions of years,
and study the lore of every age. From the accomplishments of this
race arose all legends of prophets, including those in human mythology.
In its vast libraries were volumes of texts and pictures holding
the whole of earth's annals-histories and descriptions of every
species that had ever been or that ever would be, with full records
of their arts, their achievements, their languages, and their
Shadow out of Time |
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 Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: Roxelane, her well-cut lips, her blue eyes, and all that formerly made
up her beauty, was now buried in folds of vigorous flesh which told of
the habits and occupations of an outdoor life. The stomach and bosom
were distinguished for an amplitude worthy of Rubens.
"Do you want to make me lie in the straw?" she said to Cerizet. "What
do I care for the Toupilliers? Ain't I a Toupillier myself? What do
you want to do with them, those Toupilliers?"
This savage outburst was hastily repressed by Cerizet, who uttered a
prolonged "Hush-sh!" such as all conspirators obey.
"Well, go and find out all you can about it, and come back to me,"
said Cerizet, pushing the woman toward the door, and whispering, as he
|
