| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Girl with the Golden Eyes by Honore de Balzac: midst of his joy a dagger-thrust, which Paquita, who had lifted him
vigorously in the air, as though to contemplate him, exclaimed: "Oh,
Margarita!"
"Margarita!" cried the young man, with a roar; "now I know all that I
still tried to disbelieve."
He leaped upon the cabinet in which the long poniard was kept. Happily
for Paquita and for himself, the cupboard was shut. His fury waxed at
this impediment, but he recovered his tranquillity, went and found his
cravat, and advanced towards her with an air of such ferocious meaning
that, without knowing of what crime she had been guilty, Paquita
understood, none the less, that her life was in question. With one
The Girl with the Golden Eyes |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from An International Episode by Henry James: of course--a certain tenderness that she felt for the young nobleman.
She said to herself that she liked the type to which he belonged--
the simple, candid, manly, healthy English temperament.
She spoke to herself of him as women speak of young men they like--
alluded to his bravery (which she had never in the least seen
tested), to his honesty and gentlemanliness, and was not silent
upon the subject of his good looks. She was perfectly conscious,
moreover, that she liked to think of his more adventitious merits;
that her imagination was excited and gratified by the sight
of a handsome young man endowed with such large opportunities--
opportunities she hardly knew for what, but, as she supposed,
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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 The Underground City by Jules Verne: of the rock or on the embankment of the further galleries.
How those flames were lighted, I could not and cannot say.
But they were evidently owing to the presence of fire-damp,
and to me fire-damp means a vein of coal."
"Did not these fires cause any explosion?" asked the engineer quickly.
"Yes, little partial explosions," replied Ford, "such as I
used to cause myself when I wished to ascertain the presence
of fire-damp. Do you remember how formerly it was the custom
to try to prevent explosions before our good genius, Humphry Davy,
invented his safety-lamp?"
"Yes," replied James Starr. "You mean what the 'monk,' as the men
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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 Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde: as the case may be. It is hardly a matter that she could be
allowed to arrange for herself . . . And now I have a few questions
to put to you, Mr. Worthing. While I am making these inquiries,
you, Gwendolen, will wait for me below in the carriage.
GWENDOLEN. [Reproachfully.] Mamma!
LADY BRACKNELL. In the carriage, Gwendolen! [GWENDOLEN goes to
the door. She and JACK blow kisses to each other behind LADY
BRACKNELL'S back. LADY BRACKNELL looks vaguely about as if she
could not understand what the noise was. Finally turns round.]
Gwendolen, the carriage!
GWENDOLEN. Yes, mamma. [Goes out, looking back at JACK.]
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