| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Dracula by Bram Stoker: Renfield proceeded. "He came up to the window in the mist,
as I had seen him often before, but he was solid then,
not a ghost, and his eyes were fierce like a man's when angry.
He was laughing with his red mouth, the sharp white teeth
glinted in the moonlight when he turned to look back
over the belt of trees, to where the dogs were barking.
I wouldn't ask him to come in at first, though I knew he wanted to,
just as he had wanted all along. Then he began promising
me things, not in words but by doing them."
He was interrupted by a word from the Professor, "How?"
"By making them happen. Just as he used to send in the flies when the sun
Dracula |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tattine by Ruth Ogden [Mrs. Charles W. Ide]: for me to have the day I'll gladly stay to home to make ye welcome."
"Then it's settled, Patrick, and we'll make it the very first day Papa can
spare you. " The had raked down, while they had been having this conversation,
to close proximity to two pretty rows of apple-trees that had been left on the
front lawn, a reminder of the farm that "used to be," and the sight of the
trees brought a troubled look into Tattine's face. "Patrick," she said
ruefully, "do you know that some of the nests in these trees have been robbed
of their eggs? Four or five of them are empty now. Have you an idea who could
do such a thing?"
"Yes, I have an idea," and Patrick rested his hands upon the handle of his
rake and looked significantly towards the barn; "somebody who lives in the
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Agesilaus by Xenophon: immediately after the morning meal shifted his ground and encamped
against the capital. Under cover of night there was a rush from
Peiraeum to protect the city, which he was well aware of, and with
break of day he turned right about and took Peiraeum, defenceless as
it lay, capturing all that it contained, with the various fortresses
within; and having so done retired homewards.
After these exploits[16] the Achaeans were urgent for an alliance, and
begged him to join them in an expedition against Acarnania. In the
course of this the Acarnanians attacked him in a defile. Storming the
heights above his head with his light troops,[17] he gave them battle,
and slew many of them, and set up a trophy, nor stayed his hand until
|
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 Shadow out of Time by H. P. Lovecraft: three instances there was specific mention of such an unknown
machine as had been in my house before the second change.
Another
thing that worried me during my investigation was the somewhat
greater frequency of cases where a brief, elusive glimpse of the
typical nightmares was afforded to persons not visited well-defined
amnesia.
These persons were largely of mediocre mind or less
- some so primitive that they could scarcely be thought of as
vehicles forabnormal scholarship and preternatural mental acquisitions.
For a second they would be fired with alien force - then a backward
Shadow out of Time |
