| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Daisy Miller by Henry James: so far as he remembered, met an American who spoke like a German.
Then he asked her if she should not be more comfortable in sitting
upon the bench which he had just quitted. She answered that she
liked standing up and walking about; but she presently sat down.
She told him she was from New York State--"if you know where that is."
Winterbourne learned more about her by catching hold of her small,
slippery brother and making him stand a few minutes by his side.
"Tell me your name, my boy," he said.
"Randolph C. Miller," said the boy sharply. "And I'll tell you her name";
and he leveled his alpenstock at his sister.
"You had better wait till you are asked!" said this young lady calmly.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Sanitary and Social Lectures by Charles Kingsley: was too great in behalf of the body.
A little more reflection would have quashed their vain hope. They
would have recollected that each of these preachers was already
connected with a congregation; that he had already a hold on them,
and they on him; that he was bound to provide for their spiritual
wants before going forth to seek for fresh objects of his
ministry. They would have recollected that on the old principle
(and a very sound one) of a bird in the hand being worth two in
the bush, the minister of a congregation would feel it his duty,
as well as his interest, not to defraud his flock of his labours
by spending valuable time on a secular subject like sanitary
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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 Beauty and The Beast by Bayard Taylor: which a nearer intimacy inspired; and thus Helena, magnetically
drawing to the surface only his best qualities, loved,
unconsciously to herself, her own work in him. Ere long, she saw
that she might balance the advantages he had conferred upon her in
their marriage by the support and encouragement which she was able
to impart to him; and this knowledge, removing all painful sense of
obligation, made her both happy and secure in her new position.
The Princess Martha, under some presentiment of her approaching
death, had intrusted one of the ladies in attendance upon her with
the secret of her son's marriage, in addition to a tender maternal
message, and such presents of money and jewelry as she was able to
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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 Secret Places of the Heart by H. G. Wells: wanderings of desire have no single drive. All sorts of
motives come in, high and low, down to sheer vulgar
imitativeness and competitiveness. What was true in it all
was this, that a man with any imagination in a fatigue phase
falls naturally into these complications because they are
more attractive to his type and far easier and more
refreshing to the mind, at the outset, than anything else.
And they do work a sort of recovery in him, They send him
back to his work refreshed--so far, that is, as his work is
concerned."
"At the OUTSET they are easier," said the doctor.
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