| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs: ocean liner. She saw him eating with his hands, tearing his
food like a beast of prey, and wiping his greasy fingers upon
his thighs. She shuddered.
She saw him as she introduced him to her friends--uncouth,
illiterate--a boor; and the girl winced.
She had reached her room now, and as she sat upon the
edge of her bed of ferns and grasses, with one hand resting
upon her rising and falling bosom, she felt the hard outlines
of the man's locket.
She drew it out, holding it in the palm of her hand for a
moment with tear-blurred eyes bent upon it. Then she raised
Tarzan of the Apes |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Hiero by Xenophon: vision, which, unless my memory betrays me, was your starting-point.
Well then, when I come to reason[13] on the matter, first of all I
find that, as regards the class of objects of which these orbs of
vision are the channel,[14] the despot has the disadvantage. Every
region of the world, each country on this fair earth, presents objects
worthy of contemplation, in quest of which the ordinary citizen will
visit, as the humour takes him, now some city [for the sake of
spectacles],[15] or again, the great national assemblies,[16] where
sights most fitted to entrance the gaze of multitudes would seem to be
collected.[17] But the despot has neither part nor lot in these high
festivals,[18] seeing it is not safe for him to go where he will find
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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 Lemorne Versus Huell by Elizabeth Drew Stoddard: sought refuge in the shadow of Mrs. Bliss's companion, for it
seemed to me that I had lost my own.
"Drink this Champagne," said Mr. Uxbridge. "Pay no attention to
the Colonel on your left; he won't expect it."
"Neither must you."
"Drink."
The Champagne did not prevent me from reflecting on the fact that
he had not yet asked whether I loved him.
The spirit chorus again floated through my mind:
"Where lovers,
Deep in thought,
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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 Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson:
Treasure Island |
