| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Twice Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne: "Stand!" cried he.
The eye, the face, and attitude of command; the solemn, yet
warlike peal of that voice, fit either to rule a host in the
battle-field or be raised to God in prayer, were irresistible. At
the old man's word and outstretched arm, the roll of the drum was
hushed at once, and the advancing line stood still. A tremulous
enthusiasm seized upon the multitude. That stately form,
combining the leader and the saint, so gray, so dimly seen, in
such an ancient garb, could only belong to some old champion of
the righteous cause, whom the oppressor's drum had summoned from
his grave. They raised a shout of awe and exultation, and looked
Twice Told Tales |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: After many wanderings, he came at length to a great forest, and here
beside a still lake he stayed to rest. Delicate wood-flowers grew near
him in the deep green moss, with drooping heads, as if they listened
to the soft wind sing-ing among the pines. Bright-eyed birds peeped
at him from their nests, and many-colored insects danced above the
cool, still lake.
"This is a pleasant place," said Thistle; "it shall be my home for a
while. Come hither, blue dragon-fly, I would gladly make a friend of
you, for I am all alone."
The dragon-fly folded his shining wings beside the Elf, listened to
the tale he told, promised to befriend the lonely one, and strove
Flower Fables |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane: wore an expression telling that he had at last
found the place for which he had struggled. His
spare figure was erect; his bloody hands were
quietly at his side. He was waiting with patience
for something that he had come to meet. He was
at the rendezvous. They paused and stood, ex-
pectant.
There was a silence.
Finally, the chest of the doomed soldier began
to heave with a strained motion. It increased in
violence until it was as if an animal was within
The Red Badge of Courage |
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 Sanitary and Social Lectures by Charles Kingsley: between freedom and despotism; and that they must teach that vast
mob of Persian slaves, whom the officers of the Great King were
driving with whips up to their lance-points, that the spirit of
the old heroes was not dead; and that the Greek, even in defeat
and death, was a mightier and a nobler man than they. And they
did their work. They produced, if you will, a "moral" effect,
which has lasted even to this very day. They struck terror into
the heart, not only of the Persian host, but of the whole Persian
empire. They made the event of that war certain, and the
victories of Salamis and Plataea comparatively easy. They made
Alexander's conquest of the East, one hundred and fifty years
|
