| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald: was composed not of two voices, but of one, which acted alike as
questioner and answerer:
Question.Wellwhat's the situation?
Answer.That I have about twenty-four dollars to my name.
Q.You have the Lake Geneva estate.
A.But I intend to keep it.
Q.Can you live?
A.I can't imagine not being able to. People make money in books
and I've found that I can always do the things that people do in
books. Really they are the only things I can do.
Q.Be definite.
This Side of Paradise |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Rezanov by Gertrude Atherton: graceful, and the men rivalled the women in their
supple glidings and bendings, doublings and sway-
ings. Concha danced with Ignacio Sal, Rafaella
with William Sturgis; their pliant grace, as facile
as grain rippling before the wind, would have put the
best ballet in Europe to the blush. Concha's skirts
swept Rezanov's feet, her little slippers twinkled
before his admiring eyes, and he lost no sinuous
turn or undulation of her beautiful figure; but she
never vouchsafed him a glance.
When the dance finished his host introduced him
Rezanov |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf: right over the hotel. The rain swished with it, and immediately
there were all those sounds of windows being shut and doors slamming
violently which accompany a storm.
The room grew suddenly several degrees darker, for the wind
seemed to be driving waves of darkness across the earth. No one
attempted to eat for a time, but sat looking out at the garden,
with their forks in the air. The flashes now came frequently,
lighting up faces as if they were going to be photographed,
surprising them in tense and unnatural expressions. The clap
followed close and violently upon them. Several women half rose
from their chairs and then sat down again, but dinner was continued
|
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 Lost Continent by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "Often, when we meet them by accident, and we are too few to
slay them, or when one goes too close to their camp. But
seldom do they hunt us, for they find what food they need
among the deer and wild cattle, and, too, we make them
gifts, for are we not intruders in their country? Really we
live upon good terms with them, though I should not care to
meet one were there not many spears in my party."
"I should like to visit this Camp of the Lions," I said.
"Oh, no, you must not!" cried the girl. "That would be
terrible. They would eat you." For a moment, then, she
seemed lost in thought, but presently she turned upon me
Lost Continent |
