| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Polly of the Circus by Margaret Mayo: gratitude. None came; and he turned to go with a short
"good-bye!"
"Good night, Jim," said the pastor. He crossed the room and took
the big fellow's hand.
"Much obliged," Jim answered gruffly. It was his only polite
phrase, and he had taught Polly to say it. Douglas waited until
Jim had passed down the steps, then turned to Toby, who still
lingered near the table.
"You'll tell her how it was, me and Jim had to leave her without
sayin' 'good-bye,' won't you, sir?" Toby pleaded.
"Yes, indeed," Douglas promised.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: higher and higher the mighty range of the Caracas mountains; beside
which all hills which most of the crew had ever seen seemed petty
mounds. Frank, of course, knew the Alps; and Amyas the Andes; but
Cary's notions of height were bounded by M'Gillicuddy's Reeks, and
Brimblecombe's by Exmoor; and the latter, to Cary's infinite
amusement, spent a whole day holding on by the rigging, and staring
upwards with his chin higher than his nose, till he got a stiff
neck. Soon the sea became rough and chopping, though the breeze
was fair and gentle; and ere they were abreast of the Cape, they
became aware of that strong eastward current which, during the
winter months, so often baffles the mariner who wishes to go to the
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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 Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: those cheats upon me as if it had been felony, and that he was
going to execution; he offered me again every shilling of the
money he had about him, and said he would go into the army
and seek the world for more.
I asked him why he would be so unkind to carry me into
Ireland, when I might suppose he could not have subsisted me
there. He took me in his arms. 'My dear,' said he, 'depend
upon it, I never designed to go to Ireland at all, much less to
have carried you thither, but came hither to be out of the
observation of the people, who had heard what I pretended to,
and withal, that nobody might ask me for money before I was
Moll Flanders |
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 Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson: "My lord, I make no secret; I am clear for York," Dick answered.
"By the mass!" replied the other, "it is well for you."
And so saying, he turned towards one of his followers.
"Let me see," he continued, in the same sneering and cruel tones -
"let me see a clean end of these brave gentlemen. Truss me them
up."
There were but five survivors of the attacking party. Archers
seized them by the arms; they were hurried to the borders of the
wood, and each placed below a tree of suitable dimension; the rope
was adjusted; an archer, carrying the end of it, hastily clambered
overhead; and before a minute was over, and without a word passing
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