| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Emma McChesney & Co. by Edna Ferber: "Back in a week. Will you wait for us in New York?" called
Emma, her breath coming fast. She was trembling, too, and
laughing.
"Will I wait!" called back the puffing O'Malley, every bit of
the Irish in him beaming from his eyes. "I'll be there when you
get back as sure as your name's McBuck."
From his pocket he took a round, silver Western dollar and, still
running, tossed it to the toothy Sam. That peerless porter
caught it, twirled it, kissed it, bowed, and grinned afresh as
the train glided out of the shed.
Emma, flushed, smiling, flew up the aisle.
Emma McChesney & Co. |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: Bahama Islands, but were then driven away again to the south-east,
by a strong gale of wind at NNW., the same that blew now: and
having no sails to work the ship with but a main course, and a kind
of square sail upon a jury fore-mast, which they had set up, they
could not lie near the wind, but were endeavouring to stand away
for the Canaries.
But that which was worst of all was, that they were almost starved
for want of provisions, besides the fatigues they had undergone;
their bread and flesh were quite gone - they had not one ounce left
in the ship, and had had none for eleven days. The only relief
they had was, their water was not all spent, and they had about
Robinson Crusoe |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Mansfield Park by Jane Austen: I wish you could have overheard her tribute of praise;
I wish you could have seen her countenance, when she said
that you _should_ be Henry's wife. And I observed that she
always spoke of you as 'Fanny,' which she was never used to do;
and it had a sound of most sisterly cordiality."
"And Mrs. Grant, did she say--did she speak; was she
there all the time?"
"Yes, she was agreeing exactly with her sister. The surprise
of your refusal, Fanny, seems to have been unbounded.
That you could refuse such a man as Henry Crawford seems
more than they can understand. I said what I could for you;
Mansfield Park |
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 Little Rivers by Henry van Dyke: has the same fascination as sliding down the balusters; and it is
said that even queens and princesses have been delighted with it.
This is a touching proof of the fundamental simplicity and unity of
our human nature.
But by far the best excursion from Hallstatt was an all-day trip to
the Zwieselalp--a mountain which seems to have been especially
created as a point of view. From the bare summit you look right
into the face of the huge, snowy Dachstein, with the wild lake of
Gosau gleaming at its foot; and far away on the other side your
vision ranges over a confusion of mountains, with all the white
peaks of the Tyrol stretched along the horizon. Such a wide
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