| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Beasts of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs: toward the taxicab, into which Carl was now handing the
baby to the swarthy one within.
Just before she reached the vehicle, Carl leaped in beside
his confederate, slamming the door behind him. At the same
time the chauffeur attempted to start his machine, but it was
evident that something had gone wrong, as though the gears
refused to mesh, and the delay caused by this, while he
pushed the lever into reverse and backed the car a few inches
before again attempting to go ahead, gave the nurse time to
reach the side of the taxicab.
Leaping to the running-board, she had attempted to snatch
The Beasts of Tarzan |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table by Oliver Wendell Holmes: our earthly toys are broken, - said the schoolmistress.
Hush, - said I, - what will the divinity-student say?
[I thought she was hit, that time; - but the shot must have gone
over her, or on one side of her; she did not flinch.]
Oh, - said the schoolmistress, - he must look out for my sister's
heresies; I am afraid he will be too busy with them to take care of
mine.
Do you mean to say, - said I, - that it is YOUR SISTER whom that
student -
[The young fellow commonly known as John, who had been sitting on
the barrel, smoking, jumped off just then, kicked over the barrel,
The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar by Edgar Rice Burroughs: the fruits of his prowess and his cunning.
Nor did he neglect the trail beneath while he satisfied
his hunger. His sharp eyes saw the muzzle of the
leading horse as it came into view around a bend in the
tortuous trail, and one by one they scrutinized the
riders as they passed beneath him in single file.
Among them came one whom Tarzan recognized, but so
schooled was the ape-man in the control of his emotions
that no slightest change of expression, much less any
hysterical demonstration that might have revealed his
presence, betrayed the fact of his inward excitement.
Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar |
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 Letters of Two Brides by Honore de Balzac: peals of laughter, are too much for me, and put sleep fairly to
flight.
Then we play the ogress game; mother ogress eats up the white, soft
flesh with hugs, and rains kisses on those rosy shoulders and eyes
brimming over with saucy mischief; we have little jealous tiffs too,
so pretty to see. It has happened to me, dear, to take up my stockings
at eight o'clock and be still bare-footed at nine!
Then comes the getting up. The operation of dressing begins. I slip on
my dressing-gown, turn up my sleeves, and don the mackintosh apron;
with Mary's assistance, I wash and scrub my two little blossoms. I am
sole arbiter of the temperature of the bath, for a good half of
|
