| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Dead Souls by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol: and set to work to buy up some rotten leather out of which you could
make, on each pair of boots, a double profit. But those boots split
within a fortnight, and brought down upon your head dire showers of
maledictions; with the result that gradually your shop grew empty of
customers, and you fell to roaming the streets and exclaiming, 'The
world is a very poor place indeed! A Russian cannot make a living for
German competition.' Well, well! 'Elizabeta Vorobei!' But that is a
WOMAN'S name! How comes SHE to be on the list? That villain
Sobakevitch must have sneaked her in without my knowing it."
"'Grigori Goiezhai-ne-Doiedesh,'" he went on. "What sort of a man were
YOU, I wonder? Were you a carrier who, having set up a team of three
Dead Souls |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Men of Iron by Howard Pyle: he; "but as to being ungainly, who so sayeth that of thee belieth
thee, Myles; thou art not ungainly, sirrah. But that is not to
the point. I have chosen thee for my equerry to- day; so make
thou haste and don thine armor, and then come hither again, and
Hollingwood will fit thee with a wreathed bascinet I have within,
and a juppon embroidered with my arms and colors."
When Myles had made his bow and left his patron, he flew across
the quadrangle, and burst into the armory upon Gascoyne, whom he
found still lingering there, chatting with one or two of the
older bachelors.
"What thinkest thou, Francis?" he cried, wild with excitement.
Men of Iron |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Amy Foster by Joseph Conrad: insane, disturbing voice crying obstinately through
the door only added to his irritation. He couldn't
possibly have connected this troublesome lunatic
with the sinking of a ship in Eastbay, of which
there had been a rumour in the Darnford market-
place. And I daresay the man inside had been very
near to insanity on that night. Before his excite-
ment collapsed and he became unconscious he was
throwing himself violently about in the dark, roll-
ing on some dirty sacks, and biting his fists with
rage, cold, hunger, amazement, and despair.
Amy Foster |
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 Alexander's Bridge by Willa Cather: you so pretty and comfortable here, and to hear
every one saying such nice things about you.
You've got awfully nice friends," he added
humbly, picking up a little jade elephant from
her desk. "Those fellows are all very loyal,
even Mainhall. They don't talk of any one
else as they do of you."
Hilda sat down on the couch and said
seriously: "I've a neat little sum in the bank,
too, now, and I own a mite of a hut in
Galway. It's not worth much, but I love it.
Alexander's Bridge |
