| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: had done nothing to lessen her esteem for me, or given any
occasion for the bickering between her sons and daughters,
and I had more need to think of a coffin than of being in love,
and begged she would not let me suffer in her opinion for
anybody's mistakes but my own.
She was sensible of the justice of what I said, but told me,
since there had been such a clamour among them, and that her
younger son talked after such a rattling way as he did, she
desired I would be so faithful to her as to answer her but one
question sincerely. I told her I would, with all my heart, and
with the utmost plainness and sincerity. Why, then, the
Moll Flanders |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Somebody's Little Girl by Martha Young: * * *
* *
*
It was a very strange new world to Bessie Bell, that new world up on
the High Mountain.
She did not think the grand views off the edge of the high mountain
so strange. But she loved to look out on those views as she stood
by Sister Helen Vincula on the graycliff; Sister Helen Vincula
holding her hand very fast while they both looked down into the
valleys and coves. As the shadows of evening crept up to the cliff
whereon they stood, and as those shadows folded round and round the
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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 Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: into a hole at once. You know he found his death on the river,"
he added cheerfully, "and his ghost may hail the canoes, but
would leave the land alone."
Mrs. Almayer, who had been craning her neck to look round the
corner of the shed, drew back her head.
"There is nobody there," she said, reassured. "Is it not time
for the Rajah war-canoe to go to the clearing?"
"I have been waiting for it here, for I myself must go,"
explained Babalatchi. "I think I will go over and see what makes
them late. When will you come? The Rajah gives you refuge."
"I shall paddle over before the break of day. I cannot leave my
Almayer's Folly |
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 My Aunt Margaret's Mirror by Walter Scott: to arrange itself on its sides, and a vaulted roof on the upper
part of it, till, after many oscillations, the whole vision
gained a fixed and stationary appearance, representing the
interior of a foreign church. The pillars were stately, and hung
with scutcheons; the arches were lofty and magnificent; the floor
was lettered with funeral inscriptions. But there were no
separate shrines, no images, no display of chalice or crucifix on
the altar. It was, therefore, a Protestant church upon the
Continent. A clergyman dressed in the Geneva gown and band stood
by the communion table, and, with the Bible opened before him,
and his clerk awaiting in the background, seemed prepared to
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