| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tattine by Ruth Ogden [Mrs. Charles W. Ide]: live-stock, and although the whole day was delightful, there was all the while
an almost impatient looking forward to the supreme moment when they should
start for home with those beautiful geese in their keeping. And at last it
came.
"I wonder if my goose will be a little lonely," said Tattine, as they all
stood about, watching Patrick nail on the laths.
"Faith and it will thin," said Mrs. Kirk. "It never came to my moind that they
wouldn't all three be together. Here's little Grey-wing to keep Blue-ribbon
company," and Mrs. Kirk seized one of the smaller geese that happened to be
near her, and squeezed it into the cage through the small opening that was
left.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Wheels of Chance by H. G. Wells: studying a Road Map of the South of England. Briggs of the
"dresses," who shared the room with him, was sitting up in bed
and trying to smoke in the dark. Briggs had never been on a cycle
in his life, but he felt Hoopdriver's inexperience and offered
such advice as occurred to him.
"Have the machine thoroughly well oiled," said Briggs, "carry one
or two lemons with you, don't tear yourself to death the first
day, and sit upright. Never lose control of the machine, and
always sound the bell on every possible opportunity. You mind
those things, and nothing very much can't happen to you,
Hoopdriver--you take my word."
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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 Rewards and Fairies by Rudyard Kipling: the corner of his innocent eye.
'Chris Hatton, fuming, meets and leads her into Brickwall
Hall, where she dances - thus. A woman can think while she
dances - can think. I'll show you. Watch!'
She took off her cloak slowly, and stood forth in dove-coloured
satin, worked over with pearls that trembled like running water
in the running shadows of the trees. Still talking - more to herself
than to the children - she swam into a majestical dance of the
stateliest balancings, the naughtiest wheelings and turnings aside,
the most dignified sinkings, the gravest risings, all joined
together by the elaboratest interlacing steps and circles.
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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 My Antonia by Willa Cather: in to help her with her work, so that she could get away early.
The boys who brought her home after the dances sometimes laughed
at the back gate and wakened Mr. Harling from his first sleep.
A crisis was inevitable.
One Saturday night Mr. Harling had gone down to the cellar for beer.
As he came up the stairs in the dark, he heard scuffling
on the back porch, and then the sound of a vigorous slap.
He looked out through the side door in time to see
a pair of long legs vaulting over the picket fence.
Antonia was standing there, angry and excited. Young Harry Paine,
who was to marry his employer's daughter on Monday, had come
My Antonia |
