| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Forged Coupon by Leo Tolstoy: the day after so much running about. And then
he was afraid that his father would be annoyed
when he came to town for his wages, to find that
his master had deducted the cost of the boots.
In the winter Alyosha used to get up before day-
break. He would chop the wood, sweep the yard,
feed the cows and horses, light the stoves, clean
the boots, prepare the samovars and polish them
afterwards; or the clerk would get him to bring
up the goods; or the cook would set him to knead
the bread and clean the saucepans. Then he was
The Forged Coupon |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll: `Ah, what IS it, now?' the Unicorn cried eagerly. `You'll
never guess! _I_ couldn't.'
The Lion looked at Alice wearily. `Are you animal--vegetable
--or mineral?' he said, yawning at every other word.
`It's a fabulous monster!' the Unicorn cried out, before Alice
could reply.
`Then hand round the plum-cake, Monster,' the Lion said, lying
down and putting his chin on this paws. `And sit down, both of
you,' (to the King and the Unicorn): `fair play with the cake,
you know!'
The King was evidently very uncomfortable at having to sit down
Through the Looking-Glass |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson: Lowlands here" (nodding at me) "gave me a good word upon that
head, if I would only have listened to him."
"But see here," said James, returning to his former manner, "if
they lay me by the heels, Alan, it's then that you'll be needing
the money. For with all that I have said and that you have said,
it will look very black against the two of us; do ye mark that?
Well, follow me out, and ye'll, I'll see that I'll have to get a
paper out against ye mysel'; have to offer a reward for ye; ay,
will I! It's a sore thing to do between such near friends; but
if I get the dirdum[23] of this dreadful accident, I'll have to
fend for myself, man. Do ye see that?"
Kidnapped |
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 Country Doctor by Honore de Balzac: struck Genestas that her figure was very graceful.
"Well, my poor child, is your work going on nicely?" said Benassis,
taking up the material intended for the shirts, and passing it through
his fingers.
La Fosseuse gave the doctor a timid and beseeching glance.
"Do not scold me, sir," she entreated; "I have not touched them to-
day, although they were ordered by you, and for people who need them
very badly. But the weather has been so fine! I wandered out and
picked a quantity of mushrooms and white truffles, and took them over
to Jacquotte; she was very pleased, for some people are coming to
dinner. I was so glad that I thought of it; something seemed to tell
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