| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Faraday as a Discoverer by John Tyndall: equivalent of water, then the quantity of tin liberated from the
fused chloride is found by an easy calculation to be 57.9, which is
almost exactly the chemical equivalent of tin. Thus both the water
and the chloride were broken up in proportions expressed by their
respective equivalents. The amount of electric force which wrenched
asunder the constituents of the molecule of water was competent,
and neither more nor less than competent, to wrench asunder the
constituents of the molecules of the chloride of tin. The fact is
typical. With the indications of his voltameter he compared the
decompositions of other substances, both singly and in series.
He submitted his conclusions to numberless tests. He purposely
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tono Bungay by H. G. Wells: presently shrivelled and white. Sometimes crocodiles would come
up out of the water and bask, and now and then water birds would
explore the mud and rocky ribs that rose out of it, in a mood of
transitory speculation. That was its utmost admiration. And
the air felt at once hot and austere, dry and blistering, and
altogether different the warm moist embrace that had met us at
our first African landfall and to which we had grown accustomed.
I believe that the primary influence of the quap upon us was to
increase the conductivity of our nerves, but that is a mere
unjustifiable speculation on my part. At any rate it gave a sort
of east wind effect to life. We all became irritable, clumsy,
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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 Rezanov by Gertrude Atherton: ish profile of the Moragas, but there was an in-
telligent fire in her eyes, a sharp accentuation of
nostril, and a full mobility of mouth, childish, half-
developed as that feature still was, that betrayed
a strong cross-current forcing the placid maternal
flow into rugged and unexplored channels, while
assimilating its fine qualities of pride and high
breeding. Gervasio and Santiago resembled their
sister in coloring and profile, but lacked her subtle
quality of personality and divine innocence. Luis
was more the mother's son than the father's--sav-
Rezanov |
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 Men of Iron by Howard Pyle: therefore. The Prince, the Earl of Mackworth, and two or three
others stood silently watching as the worthy shaver and leecher,
assisted by his apprentice and Gascoyne, washed and bathed the
great gaping wound in the side, and bound it with linen bandages.
Myles lay with closed eyelids, still, pallid, weak as a little
child. Presently he opened his eyes and turned them, dull and
languid, to the Prince.
"What hath happed my father, my Lord?" said he, in a faint,
whispering voice.
"Thou hath saved his life and honor, Myles," the Prince answered.
"He is here now, and thy mother hath been sent for, and cometh
Men of Iron |
