| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Michael Strogoff by Jules Verne: considerable size, for in it is the chief mint of the empire.
There also are the headquarters of the officials employed in
the management of the mines. Thus the town is the center
of an important district, abounding in manufactories prin-
cipally for the working and refining of gold and platina.
Just now the population of Ekaterenburg had greatly
increased; many Russians and Siberians, menaced by the
Tartar invasion, having collected there. Thus, though it
had been so troublesome a matter to find horses and vehicles
when going to Ekaterenburg, there was no difficulty in leav-
ing it; for under present circumstances few travelers cared
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from End of the Tether by Joseph Conrad: An obstinate silence followed that threat. Massy
moved away perplexed. On the bank two figures ap-
peared, approaching the gangway. He heard a voice
tinged with contempt--
"I would rather doubt your word. But I shall cer-
tainly speak to him of this."
The other voice, Sterne's, said with a sort of regretful
formality--
"Thanks. That's all I want. I must do my duty."
Mr. Massy was surprised. A short, dapper figure
leaped lightly on the deck and nearly bounded into him
End of the Tether |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Amazing Interlude by Mary Roberts Rinehart: has often gone on his errands from near my post. I am "- he smiled -" I
am usually in the front line,"
"What did he do?"
"He had no cap, mademoiselle. I thought that was odd, And as you know
- he does not near his own uniform on such occasions. But he wore his
own uniform, so that at first I did not know what he intended."
"Later on," she asked, "you - did you hear anything?"
"The usual sniping, mademoiselle. Nothing more,"
"He went through the inundation?"
"How else could he go? Through the wire first, at the barrier, where
there is an opening, if one knows the way, I aw him beyond it, by the
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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 On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin: parallelism of palaeozoic formations; on affinities of ancient species
Barriers, importance of
Batrachians on islands
Bats, how structure acquired; distribution of
Bear, catching water-insects
Bee, sting of; queen, killing rivals
Bees fertilizing flowers; hive; not sucking the red clover; cell-making
instinct; humble, cells of; parasitic
Beetles, wingless, in Madeira; with deficient tarsi
Bentham, Mr., on British plants; on classification
Berkeley, Mr., on seeds in salt-water
On the Origin of Species |
