| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Son of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs: coming of company.
Korak's image was still often in her thoughts, but it aroused
now a less well-defined sense of bereavement. A quiet sadness
pervaded Meriem when she thought of him; but the poignant
grief of her loss when it was young no longer goaded her
to desperation. Yet she was still loyal to him. She still hoped
that some day he would find her, nor did she doubt for a moment
but that he was searching for her if he still lived. It was this
last suggestion that caused her the greatest perturbation.
Korak might be dead. It scarce seemed possible that one so
well-equipped to meet the emergencies of jungle life should have
The Son of Tarzan |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The United States Constitution: suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for
governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the
United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment
of the Officers, and the Authority of training the militia according
to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever,
over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may,
by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress,
become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to
exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent
The United States Constitution |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: to a deaf person (evidently thinking that a blind one ought to be
treated in the same manner), "I have come to tell you something that
may annoy you. Monsieur and Madame Phellion have just arrived, and
they inform me that their son, Monsieur Felix, is not coming. He has a
cold and a sore-throat."
"Then he got it this afternoon reading that lecture," cried the
professor, joyfully. "That's justice!--Madame, where do you get your
brandy?"
"Why, at my grocer's," replied Brigitte, taken aback by the question.
"Well, madame, I ought to tell you that in a house where one can drink
such excellent champagne, which reminds me of that we used to quaff at
|
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 Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: "No, Alan, you must not leave the house. Write out on a sheet
of notepaper what you want and my servant will take a cab
and bring the things back to you."
Campbell scrawled a few lines, blotted them, and addressed an envelope
to his assistant. Dorian took the note up and read it carefully.
Then he rang the bell and gave it to his valet, with orders to return
as soon as possible and to bring the things with him.
As the hall door shut, Campbell started nervously, and having got up
from the chair, went over to the chimney-piece. He was shivering with
a kind of ague. For nearly twenty minutes, neither of the men spoke.
A fly buzzed noisily about the room, and the ticking of the clock was
The Picture of Dorian Gray |
