| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Light of Western Stars by Zane Grey: and compelling in his presence. Worn and spent and drawn as he
was from the long ride, he thrilled Madeline with his potential
youth and unused vitality and promise of things to be,
red-blooded deeds, both of flesh and spirit. In him she saw the
strength of his forefathers unimpaired. The life in him was
marvelously significant. The dust, the dirt, the sweat, the
soiled clothes, the bruised and bandaged hand, the brawn and
bone--these had not been despised by the knights of ancient days,
nor by modern women whose eyes shed soft light upon coarse and
bloody toilers.
Madeline Hammond compared the man of the East with the man of the
The Light of Western Stars |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from King Henry VI by William Shakespeare: My tender youth was never yet attaint
With any passion of inflaming love,
I cannot tell; but this I am assured,
I feel such sharp dissension in my breast,
Such fierce alarums both of hope and fear,
As I am sick with working of my thoughts.
Take, therefore, shipping; post, my lord, to France;
Agree to any covenants, and procure
That Lady Margaret do vouchsafe to come
To cross the seas to England, and be crown'd
King Henry's faithful and anointed queen:
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Extracts From Adam's Diary by Mark Twain: tracks. It has to live on the ground, it cannot help itself;
therefore, how does it get about without leaving a track? I have
set a dozen traps, but they do no good. I catch all small animals
except that one; animals that merely go into the trap out of
curiosity, I think, to see what the milk is there for. They never
drink it.
Three Months Later
The kangaroo still continues to grow, which is very strange and
perplexing. I never knew one to be so long getting its growth.
It has fur on its head now; not like kangaroo fur, but exactly
like our hair, except that it is much finer and softer, and instead
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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 The Muse of the Department by Honore de Balzac: its own, and then a woman reflects the glory of the sphere where she
reigns. This social phenomenon, I am told, may be seen in Italy,
Switzerland, and Germany; but in France, as in every country where
there is but one capital, a dead level of manners must necessarily
result from centralization."
"Then you would say that manners could only recover their
individuality and native distinction by the formation of a federation
of French states into one empire?" said Lousteau.
"That is hardly to be wished, for France would have to conquer too
many countries," said Bianchon.
"This misfortune is unknown in England," exclaimed Dinah. "London does
The Muse of the Department |
