| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Russia in 1919 by Arthur Ransome: army. Every day we get masses of telegrams from all fronts,
asking for this or that. For example, Trotsky telegraphs here
simply "We shall be in Orenburg in two days," leaving us to
do what is necessary. Then with the map before me, I have
to send what will be needed, no matter what useful work has
to be abandoned meanwhile, engineers, railway gangs for
putting right the railways, material for bridges, and so on.
"Indeed, the biggest piece of civil engineering done in Russia
for many years was the direct result of our fear lest you
people or the Germans should take our Baltic fleet. Save
the dreadnoughts we could not, but I decided to save what
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton by Edith Wharton: the portcullis by an iron gate. I stood for a long time on the
hither side of the moat, gazing about me, and letting the
influence of the place sink in. I said to myself: "If I wait
long enough, the guardian will turn up and show me the tombs--"
and I rather hoped he wouldn't turn up too soon.
I sat down on a stone and lit a cigarette. As soon as I had done
it, it struck me as a puerile and portentous thing to do, with
that great blind house looking down at me, and all the empty
avenues converging on me. It may have been the depth of the
silence that made me so conscious of my gesture. The squeak of
my match sounded as loud as the scraping of a brake, and I almost
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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 Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell: road to old Angus MacIntosh's house. She peered through the
gathering dusk down the two lines of ancient trees. All was dark.
Not a single light showed in the house or in the quarters.
Straining her eyes in the darkness she dimly discerned a sight
which had grown familiar through that terrible day--two tall
chimneys, like gigantic tombstones towering above the ruined second
floor, and broken unlit windows blotching the walls like still,
blind eyes.
"Hello!" she shouted, summoning all her strength. "Hello!"
Prissy clawed at her in a frenzy of fright and Scarlett, turning,
saw that her eyes were rolling in her head.
Gone With the Wind |
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 Lady Susan by Jane Austen: seen at Churchhill. What a pity that you should not have known his
intentions! Not content with coming, he actually invited himself to remain
here a few days. I could have poisoned him! I made the best of it, however,
and told my story with great success to Mrs. Vernon, who, whatever might be
her real sentiments, said nothing in opposition to mine. I made a point
also of Frederica's behaving civilly to Sir James, and gave her to
understand that I was absolutely determined on her marrying him. She said
something of her misery, but that was all. I have for some time been more
particularly resolved on the match from seeing the rapid increase of her
affection for Reginald, and from not feeling secure that a knowledge of
such affection might not in the end awaken a return. Contemptible as a
Lady Susan |
