| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Anthem by Ayn Rand: "If you see us among scores of women,
will you look upon us?"
"We shall look upon you, Liberty 5-3000,
if we see you among all the women of the earth."
Then they asked:
"Are Street Sweepers sent to different
parts of the City or do they always work
in the same places?"
"They always work in the same places,"
we answered, "and no one will take this
road away from us."
Anthem |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry: are wisest. They are the magi.
End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of THE GIFT OF THE MAGI.
The Gift of the Magi |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Virginian by Owen Wister: "Very quaint," I answered, groping for the explanation. There was
no rock here to walk over and step from into the softer trail.
These second steps came more out of the air than the first. And
my brain played me the evil trick of showing me a dead man in a
gray flannel shirt.
"It's two, you see, travelling with one hawss, and they take
turns riding him."
"Why, of course!" I exclaimed; and we went along for a few paces.
"There you are," said the Virginian, as the trail proved him
right. "Number one has got on. My God, what's that?"
At a crashing in the woods very close to us we both flung round
The Virginian |
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 Beauty and The Beast by Bayard Taylor: was announced, Prince Alexis appeared in the bazaar with a short
whip under his arm.
He dismounted at the booth with an ironical smile on his face,
which chilled the very marrow in the merchant's bones.
"Ah, Gregor, my child," he shouted, "you have already forgotten my
commands. Holy St. Nicholas, what a bad memory the boy has! Why,
he can't be trusted to do business: I must attend to the shop
myself. Out of the way! march!"
He swung his terrible whip; and Gregor, with his two assistants,
darted under the counter, and made their escape. The Prince then
entered the booth, took up a yard-stick, and cried out in a voice
|
