| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy: much interested.'
'When is it to appear?'
'Oh, never, I suppose.'
'Nonsense, my dear girl. Publish it, by all means. All ladies do
that sort of thing now; not for profit, you know, but as a
guarantee of mental respectability to their future husbands.'
'An excellent idea of us ladies.'
'Though I am afraid it rather resembles the melancholy ruse of
throwing loaves over castle-walls at besiegers, and suggests
desperation rather than plenty inside.'
'Did you ever try it?'
A Pair of Blue Eyes |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Dead Souls by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol: Also, we had a snack together. There is nothing wrong in a
snack--especially a snack with a decent man."
"What did I say to you when last you got drunk?" asked Chichikov.
"Have you forgotten what I said then?"
"No, no, barin. HOW could I forget it? I know what is what, and know
that it is not right to get drunk. All that I have been having is a
word or two with a decent man, for the reason that--"
"Well, if I lay the whip about you, you'll know then how to talk to a
decent fellow, I'll warrant!"
"As you please, barin," replied the complacent Selifan. "Should you
whip me, you will whip me, and I shall have nothing to complain of.
Dead Souls |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte: '"It may seem a hard matter," says he, "to love our neighbours, who
have so much of what is evil about them, and whose faults so often
awaken the evil that lingers within ourselves; but remember that HE
made them, and HE loves them; and whosoever loveth him that begat,
loveth him that is begotten also. And if God so loveth us, that He
gave His only begotten Son to die for us, we ought also to love one
another. But if you cannot feel positive affection for those who
do not care for you, you can at least try to do to them as you
would they should do unto you: you can endeavour to pity their
failings and excuse their offences, and to do all the good you can
to those about you. And if you accustom yourself to this, Nancy,
Agnes Grey |
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 A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare: Makes speed to catch the Tyger. Bootlesse speede,
When cowardise pursues, and valour flies
Demet. I will not stay thy questions, let me go;
Or if thou follow me, doe not beleeue,
But I shall doe thee mischiefe in the wood
Hel. I, in the Temple, in the Towne, and Field
You doe me mischiefe. Fye Demetrius,
Your wrongs doe set a scandall on my sexe:
We cannot fight for loue, as men may doe;
We should be woo'd, and were not made to wooe.
I follow thee, and make a heauen of hell,
A Midsummer Night's Dream |
