| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas: his power to punish the wicked!" At these words he gave a
signal, and, as if only awaiting this signal, the yacht
instantly put out to sea.
Chapter 31
Italy: Sinbad the Sailor.
Towards the beginning of the year 1838, two young men
belonging to the first society of Paris, the Vicomte Albert
de Morcerf and the Baron Franz d'Epinay, were at Florence.
They had agreed to see the Carnival at Rome that year, and
that Franz, who for the last three or four years had
inhabited Italy, should act as cicerone to Albert. As it is
The Count of Monte Cristo |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Octopus by Frank Norris: against his cheek, thrilled Annixter with a delight such as he
had never known. He bent his head and kissed her upon the nape
of her neck, where the delicate amber tint melted into the thick,
sweet smelling mass of her dark brown hair. She shivered a
little, holding him closer, ashamed as yet to look up. Without
speech, they stood there for a long minute, holding each other
close. Then Hilma pulled away from him, mopping her tear-stained
cheeks with the little moist ball of her handkerchief.
"What do you say? Is it a go?" demanded Annixter jovially.
"I thought I hated you all the time," she said, and the velvety
huskiness of her voice never sounded so sweet to him.
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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 Adam Bede by George Eliot: desire for solo music after the choral. Nancy declared that Tim
the waggoner knew a song and was "allays singing like a lark i'
the stable," whereupon Mr. Poyser said encouragingly, "Come, Tim,
lad, let's hear it." Tim looked sheepish, tucked down his head,
and said he couldn't sing, but this encouraging invitation of the
master's was echoed all round the table. It was a conversational
opportunity: everybody could say, "Come, Tim," except Alick, who
never relaxed into the frivolity of unnecessary speech. At last,
Tim's next neighbour, Ben Tholoway, began to give emphasis to his
speech by nudges, at which Tim, growing rather savage, said, "Let
me alooan, will ye? Else I'll ma' ye sing a toon ye wonna like."
Adam Bede |
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 Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner: fragments.
"Gregory," she said, "she does not want us; she told us so clearly in the
letter she wrote." A flush rose on her face as she spoke. "It will only
be pain to you, Gregory: Will she like to have you near her?"
There was an answer he might have made, but it was his secret, and he did
not choose to share it. He said only:
"I am going."
"Will you be gone long, Gregory?"
"I do not know; perhaps I shall never come back. Do what you please with
my things. I cannot stay here!"
He rose from his seat.
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