| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: in her voice which she almost always had now with her husband.
"But to my thinking, it's time for bed now.... I'm going, I don't
want supper."
"No, do stay a little, Dolly," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, going
round to her side behind the table where they were having supper.
"I've so much still to tell you."
"Nothing really, I suppose."
"Do you know Veslovsky has been at Anna's, and he's going to them
again? You know they're hardly fifty miles from you, and I too
must certainly go over there. Veslovsky, come here!"
Vassenka crossed over to the ladies, and sat down beside Kitty.
Anna Karenina |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: " ' "But, Anastasie, I particularly wish to speak to you."
" ' "Not just now, dear," she answered in a milder tone, but with no
sign of relenting.
" ' "What nonsense! You are talking to some one," said the voice, and
in came a man who could only be the Count.
" 'The Countess gave me a glance. I saw how it was. She was thoroughly
in my power. There was a time, when I was young, and might perhaps
have been stupid enough not to protest the bill. At Pondicherry, in
1763, I let a woman off, and nicely she paid me out afterwards. I
deserved it; what call was there for me to trust her?
" ' "What does this gentleman want?" asked the Count.
Gobseck |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Finished by H. Rider Haggard: concerned. But that is a dangerous doctrine about which I will
say no more, for I daresay that he is engaged in weaving a great
life-pattern of which he only sees the tiniest piece.
One thing comforted me a little. If these two were dead I could
now leave Zululand without qualms. Of course I was obliged to
leave in any case, or die, but somehow that fact would not have
eased my conscience. Indeed I think that had I believed they
still lived, in this way or in that I should have tried not to
leave, because I should have thought it for the best to stay to
help them, whereby in all human probability I should have brought
about my own death without helping them at all. Well, it had
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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 Mrs. Warren's Profession by George Bernard Shaw: her power or caused me a moment's uneasiness. You are behaving
worse to me than she did, Frank.
FRANK. Oh yes I dare say! Did you ever preach at her the way
you preach at me every day?
REV. S. [wounded almost to tears] I leave you, sir. You are
incorrigible. [He turns towards the gate].
FRANK [utterly unmoved] Tell them I shant be home to tea, will
you, gov'nor, like a good fellow? [He moves towards the cottage
door and is met by Praed and Vivie coming out].
VIVIE [to Frank] Is that your father, Frank? I do so want to
meet him.
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