| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Oscar Wilde Miscellaneous by Oscar Wilde: before many people.
FIRST MAN. That cannot be true. We have ourselves seen many,
though we are but common men and of no account. When I saw them I
hid myself in a bush. They did me no harm.
* * * * *
MYRRHINA. Tell me more about the beautiful young hermit. Talk to
me about the beautiful young hermit who will not look on the face of
woman. What is the story of his days? What mode of life has he?
FIRST MAN. We do not understand you.
MYRRHINA. What does he do, the beautiful young hermit? Does he sow
or reap? Does he plant a garden or catch fish in a net? Does he
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy: quences. Still the reluctance remained. She said in the
same breath that it would be ungenerous not to marry
Boldwood, and that she couldn't do it to save her life.
Bathsheba's was an impulsive nature under a delibera-
tive aspect. An Elizabeth in brain and a Mary Stuart
in spirit, she often performed actions of the greatest
temerity with a manner of extreme discretion. Many of
her thoughts were perfect syllogisms; unluckily they
always remained thoughts. Only a few were irrational
assumptions; but, unfortunately, they were the ones
which most frequently grew into deeds.
Far From the Madding Crowd |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: were, however, found many youth of the country ardently attached
to this sport, with all its dangers and fatigues. The sword had
been sheathed upon the Borders for more than a hundred years, by
the peaceful union of the crowns in the reign of James the First
of Great Britain. Still the country retained traces of what it
had been in former days; the inhabitants, their more peaceful
avocations having been repeatedly interrupted by the civil wars
of the preceding century, were scarce yet broken in to the habits
of regular industry, sheep-farming had not been introduced upon
any considerable scale, and the feeding of black cattle was the
chief purpose to which the hills and valleys were applied. Near
|
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 Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift: shop-keepers, who, if a resolution could now be taken to buy only
our native goods, would immediately unite to cheat and exact upon
us in the price, the measure, and the goodness, nor could ever
yet be brought to make one fair proposal of just dealing, though
often and earnestly invited to it.
Therefore I repeat, let no man talk to me of these and the like
expedients, 'till he hath at least some glympse of hope, that
there will ever be some hearty and sincere attempt to put them
into practice.
But, as to my self, having been wearied out for many years with
offering vain, idle, visionary thoughts, and at length utterly
A Modest Proposal |
