| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker: heavy stone steps leading upward; but Lady Arabella, after shutting
the door behind her, when it closed tightly without a clang, tripped
up the steps lightly and swiftly. For an instant all was dark, but
there came again the faint green light which enabled him to see the
outlines of things. Another iron door, narrow like the first and
fairly high, led into another large room, the walls of which were of
massive stones, so closely joined together as to exhibit only one
smooth surface. This presented the appearance of having at one time
been polished. On the far side, also smooth like the walls, was the
reverse of a wide, but not high, iron door. Here there was a little
more light, for the high-up aperture over the door opened to the
Lair of the White Worm |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: wrong place."
"I'm glad you can't flirt. It's really refreshing to see a
sensible, straightforward girl, who can be jolly and kind without
making a fool of herself. Between ourselves, Jo, some of the
girls I know really do go on at such a rate I'm ashamed of them.
They don't mean any harm, I'm sure, but if they knew how we
fellows talked about them afterward, they'd mend their ways, I
fancy."
"They do the same, and as their tongues are the sharpest,
you fellows get the worst of it, for you are as silly as they,
every bit. If you behaved properly, they would, but knowing
Little Women |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: pollicitationibusque suos excitarent, quid fieri vellet ostendit. Illi,
ut erat imperatum, eductis iis cohortibus quae praesidio castris relictae
intritae ab labore erant, et longiore itinere circumductis, ne ex hostium
castris conspici possent, omnium oculis mentibusque ad pugnam intentis
celeriter ad eas quas diximus munitiones pervenerunt atque his prorutis
prius in hostium castris constiterunt quam plane ab his videri aut quid
rei gereretur cognosci posset. Tum vero clamore ab ea parte audito nostri
redintegratis viribus, quod plerumque in spe victoriae accidere consuevit,
acrius impugnare coeperunt. Hostes undique circumventi desperatis omnibus
rebus se per munitiones deicere et fuga salutem petere contenderunt. Quos
equitatus apertissimis campis consectatus ex milium L numero, quae ex
|
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 Desert Gold by Zane Grey: afraid of most is losing that bunch of horses. If any rebels come
this far, or if they ever hear of my horses, they're going to raid
me. You know what those guerrilla Mexicans will do for horses.
They're crazy on horse flesh. They know fine horses. They breed
the finest in the world. So I don't sleep nights any more."
"Reckon me an' Jim might as well tie up with your for a spell,
Beldin'. We've been ridin' up an' down Arizona tryin' to keep out
of sight of wire fences."
"Laddy, it's open enough around Forlorn River to satisfy even an
old-time cowpuncher like you," laughed Belding. "I'd take your
staying on as some favor, don't mistake me. Perhaps I can persuade
Desert Gold |
