| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Burning Daylight by Jack London: made up yet--"
"But it is," she interrupted. "I wouldn't dare permit myself to
care for you. Happiness, for me, would not lie that way. I like
you, Mr. Harnish, and all that, but it can never be more than
that."
"It's because you don't like my way of living," he charged,
thinking in his own mind of the sensational joyrides and general
profligacy with which the newspapers had credited him--thinking
this, and wondering whether or not, in maiden modesty, she would
disclaim knowledge of it.
To his surprise, her answer was flat and uncompromising.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Egmont by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe: angel stoops for my deliverance, I see them grasp eagerly their lance and
sword. The gates are forced, the bolts are riven, the walls fall beneath their
conquering hands, and Egmont advances joyously, to hail the freedom of
the rising morn. How many well-known faces receive me with loud
acclaim! O Clara! wert thou a man, I should see thee here the very first,
and thank thee for that which it is galling to owe even to a king--liberty.
Scene III.--Clara's House
Clara (enters from her chamber with a lamp and a glass of water; she
places the glass upon the table and steps to the window).
Brackenburg, is it you? What noise was that? No one yet? No one! I will
set the lamp in the window, that he may see that I am still awake, that I
Egmont |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Mansion by Henry van Dyke: curving stairway to his own room.
Meantime John Weightman sat in his carved chair in the Jacobean
dining-room. He felt strangely old and dull. The portraits of
beautiful women by Lawrence and Reynolds and Raeburn, which had
often
seemed like real company to him, looked remote and uninteresting.
He fancied something cold and almost unfriendly in their
expression,
as if they were staring through him or beyond him. They cared
nothing for
his principles, his hopes, his disappointments, his successes;
|
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 Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas: "On, on!" he cried, "this is no moment for compliments; or
rather, back, for the battle seems to be lost by the
Frondeurs."
"It is a matter of indifference to me," said Aramis; "I came
here only to meet De Chatillon; I have met him, I am
contented; 'tis something to have met De Chatillon in a
duel!"
"And besides, we have a prisoner," said Athos, pointing to
Raoul.
The three cavaliers continued their road on full gallop.
"What were you doing in the battle, my friend?" inquired
Twenty Years After |
