| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lady Baltimore by Owen Wister: see the inside of Kings Port; that was like his engaging impishness with
Juno. If by any possible contrivance (and none was possible) Kitty and
her Replacers could have met the inside of Kings Port, Kitty would have
added one more "quaint" impression to her stock, and gone away in total
ignorance of the quality of the impression she had made--and Bohm would
probably have again remarked, "Worse than Sunday." No; the St. Michaels
and the Replacers would never meet in this world, and I see no reason
that they should in the next. John's light and pleasing skirmish with
Kitty gave me the glimpse of his capacities which I had lacked hitherto.
John evidently "knew his way about," as they say; and I was diverted to
think how Miss Josephine St. Michael would have nodded over his adequacy
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: Someone, a very important personage judging by the haste with which
way was made for him, was approaching the icon.
It was Kutuzov, who had been riding round the position and on his
way back to Tatarinova had stopped where the service was being held.
Pierre recognized him at once by his peculiar figure, which
distinguished him from everybody else.
With a long overcoat on his his exceedingly stout,
round-shouldered body, with uncovered white head and puffy face
showing the white ball of the eye he had lost, Kutuzov walked with
plunging, swaying gait into the crowd and stopped behind the priest.
He crossed himself with an accustomed movement, bent till he touched
War and Peace |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Wife, et al by Anton Chekhov: may not be injured, I feel it my moral duty to take part in your
work."
"Speak more briefly," said my wife.
"You will be so kind," I went on, "as to show me what has been
subscribed so far and what you have spent. Then inform me daily
of every fresh subscription in money or kind, and of every fresh
outlay. You will also give me, Natalie, the list of your helpers.
Perhaps they are quite decent people; I don't doubt it; but,
still, it is absolutely necessary to make inquiries."
She was silent. I got up, and walked up and down the room.
"Let us set to work, then," I said, and I sat down to her table.
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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 The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot: Here is Belladonna, the Lady of the Rocks,
The lady of situations. 50
Here is the man with three staves, and here the Wheel,
And here is the one-eyed merchant, and this card,
Which is blank, is something he carries on his back,
Which I am forbidden to see. I do not find
The Hanged Man. Fear death by water.
I see crowds of people, walking round in a ring.
Thank you. If you see dear Mrs. Equitone,
Tell her I bring the horoscope myself:
One must be so careful these days.
The Waste Land |
