| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: a bonny wench. They're wanted beyond seas thae female cattle,
and they're no that scarce here. But I think o' doing better for
this lassie. There's a leddy, that, unless she be a' the better
bairn, is to be sent to foreign parts whether she will or no;
now, I think of sending Grace to wait on her--she's a bonny
lassie. Hobbie will hae a merry morning when he comes hame, and
misses baith bride and gear."
"Ay; and do you not pity him?" said the Recluse.
"Wad he pity me were I gaeing up the Castle hill at Jeddart? [
The place of execution at that ancient burgh, where many of
Westburnflat's profession have made their final exit.] And yet I
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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 Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey: block you."
That passionate reply of Longstreth's was the signal Duane had
been waiting for. He had helped on the crisis. He wanted to
force Longstreth's hand and show the town his stand.
Duane backed clear of everybody.
"Men! I call on you all!" cried Duane, piercingly. "I call on
you to witness the arrest of a criminal prevented by
Longstreth, Mayor of Fairdale. It will be recorded in the
report to the Adjutant-General at Austin. Longstreth, you'll
never prevent another arrest."
Longstreth sat white with working jaw.
The Lone Star Ranger |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Tom Sawyer, Detective by Mark Twain: and it knocked Tom silly, too, for a little spell,
but then he braced up and let on that he warn't worried--but
I knowed he WAS, all the same. And the people--my,
but it made a stir amongst them!
And when that lawyer was done telling the jury what he was
going to prove, he set down and begun to work his witnesses.
First, he called a lot of them to show that there was bad
blood betwixt Uncle Silas and the diseased; and they told
how they had heard Uncle Silas threaten the diseased,
at one time and another, and how it got worse and worse
and everybody was talking about it, and how diseased got
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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 Travels with a Donkey in the Cevenne by Robert Louis Stevenson: brothers came to the gate and spoke with me a while. I think my
sack was the great attraction; it had already beguiled the heart of
poor Apollinaris, who had charged me on my life to show it to the
Father Prior, But whether it was my address, or the sack, or the
idea speedily published among that part of the brotherhood who
attend on strangers that I was not a pedlar after all, I found no
difficulty as to my reception. Modestine was led away by a layman
to the stables, and I and my pack were received into Our Lady of
the Snows.
THE MONKS
FATHER MICHAEL, a pleasant, fresh-faced, smiling man, perhaps of
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