| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne: bulky Digest of the Revenue laws. A
THE CUSTOM-HOUSE 13
tin pipe ascends through the ceiling, and forms a medium of vocal
communication with other parts of be edifice. And here, some six
months ago -- pacing from corner to corner, or lounging on the
The Scarlet Letter |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: before the two therns, for my untimely sneeze had warned them of
my presence and they were ready for me.
There were no words, for they would have been a waste of breath.
The very presence of the two proclaimed their treachery. That
they were following to fall upon me unawares was all too plain,
and they, of course, must have known that I understood their plan.
In an instant I was engaged with both, and though I loathe the
very name of thern, I must in all fairness admit that they are
mighty swordsmen; and these two were no exception, unless it were
The Warlord of Mars |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Options by O. Henry: The fat, seedy man at his side sniffed, and shook his frowzy head
slowly and disparagingly.
"What is it, Snipy?" asked the other. "Got the blues again?"
"No, I ain't" said the seedy one, sniffing again. "But I don't like
your talk. You and me have been friends, off and on, for fifteen
year; and I never yet knew or heard of you giving anybody up to the
law--not no one. And here was a man whose saleratus you had et and at
whose table you had played games of cards--if casino can be so called.
And yet you inform him to the law and take money for it. It never was
like you, I say."
"This H. Ogden," resumed the red-faced man, "through a lawyer, proved
Options |
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 The Wrong Box by Stevenson & Osbourne: neighbouring high road, where a char-a-banc was bowling by with
some belated tourists. The sound cheered his old heart, it
directed his steps into the bargain, and soon he was on the
highway, looking east and west from under his vizor, and
doubtfully revolving what he ought to do. A deliberate sound of
wheels arose in the distance, and then a cart was seen
approaching, well filled with parcels, driven by a good-natured
looking man on a double bench, and displaying on a board the
legend, 'I Chandler, carrier'. In the infamously prosaic mind of
Mr Finsbury, certain streaks of poetry survived and were still
efficient; they had carried him to Asia Minor as a giddy youth of
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