| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lemorne Versus Huell by Elizabeth Drew Stoddard: "I think I like this mass of rose-color," she said. "Your hair
comes out in contrast so brilliantly. Why, you have not a single
ornament on!"
"It is so easy to dress without."
This was all the conversation we had together during the evening,
except when she introduced some acquaintance to fulfill her
matronizing duties. As I was no dancer I was left alone most of the
time, and amused myself by gliding from window to window along the
wall, that it might not be observed that I was a fixed flower.
Still I suffered the annoyance of being stared at by wandering
squads of young gentlemen, the "curled darlings" of the ball-room.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: hour that he beheld Odysseus again, in the twentieth year.
Now godlike Telemachus was far the first to behold the
swineherd as he came into the hall, and straightway then he
beckoned and called him to his side. So Eumaeus looked
about and took a settle that lay by him, where the carver
was wont to sit dividing much flesh among the wooers that
were feasting in the house. This seat he carried and set by
the table of Telemachus over against him, and there sat
down himself. And the henchman took a mess and served it
him, and wheaten bread out of the basket.
And close behind him Odysseus entered the house in the
The Odyssey |
