| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Twelve Stories and a Dream by H. G. Wells: what she said to him. A sort of mental paralysis was upon her.
Of all offensive surnames--Snooks!
Helen and Fanny were returning, there were civilities, and the young
men were receding. By a great effort she controlled herself to face
the enquiring eyes of her friends. All that afternoon she lived
the life of a heroine under the indescribable outrage of that name,
chatting, observing, with "Snooks" gnawing at her heart. From the
moment that it first rang upon her ears, the dream of her happiness
was prostrate in the dust. All the refinement she had figured was
ruined and defaced by that cognomen's unavoidable vulgarity.
What was that refined little home to her now, spite of autotypes,
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Young Forester by Zane Grey: secured. I had cut half through the knots when a shrill cry arrested me. It
was the Mexican's voice.
"Head him off! He's after your gun!" yelled Dick.
The sight of Greaser running toward the cave put me into a frenzy. Dropping
the knife, I darted to where my rifle leaned across my saddle. But I saw
the Mexican would beat me to it. Checking my speed, I grabbed up a round
stone and let fly. That was where my ball-playing stood me in good stead,
for the stone hit Greaser on the shoulder, knocking him flat. But he got
up, and lunged for the rifle just as I reached him.
I kicked the rifle out of his band, grappled with him, and down we went
together. We wrestled and thrashed off the ledge, and when we landed in the
The Young Forester |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from La Grenadiere by Honore de Balzac: flushed, her fingers flew with passionate feeling over the ivory keys.
This was her last great day, an unmarked day of festival, held in her
own soul by the spirit of her memories. When the doctor came, he
ordered her to stay in bed. The alarming dictum was received with
bewildered silence.
When the doctor had gone, she turned to the older boy.
"Louis," she said, "take me out on the terrace, so that I may see my
country once more."
The boy gave his arm at those simply uttered words, and brought his
mother out upon the terrace; but her eyes turned, perhaps
unconsciously, to heaven rather than to the earth, and indeed, it
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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 Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini: "I leave my case in your hands with gratitude. My homage, madame."
And so it happened that in spite of his godfather's forbidding
reception of him, the fragment of a song was on his lips as his
yellow chaise whirled him back to Paris and the Rue du Hasard.
That meeting with Mme. de Plougastel had enheartened him; her
promise to plead his case in alliance with Aline gave him assurance
that all would be well.
That he was justified of this was proved when on the following
Thursday towards noon his academy was invaded by M. de Kercadiou.
Gilles, the boy, brought him word of it, and breaking off at once
the lesson upon which he was engaged, he pulled off his mask, and
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