| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Beauty and The Beast by Bayard Taylor: cross-roads to take, and presently went on without begging or even
speaking to any one. Towards sunset a farmer, on his way to the
village store, found him sitting at the roadside, his head resting
against a fence-post. The man's face was so worn and exhausted
that the farmer kindly stopped and addressed him; but he gave no
other reply than a shake of the head.
The farmer thereupon lifted him into his light country-wagon, the
man offering no resistance, and drove to the tavern, where, his
exhaustion being so evident, a glass of whiskey was administered to
him. He afterwards spoke a few words in German, which no one
understood. At the almshouse, to which he was transported the same
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Persuasion by Jane Austen: "I should never think of standing on such ceremony with people I know
so well as Mrs and the Miss Musgroves."
"Oh! but they ought to call upon you as soon as possible.
They ought to feel what is due to you as my sister. However,
we may as well go and sit with them a little while, and when we
have that over, we can enjoy our walk."
Anne had always thought such a style of intercourse highly imprudent;
but she had ceased to endeavour to check it, from believing that,
though there were on each side continual subjects of offence,
neither family could now do without it. To the Great House accordingly
they went, to sit the full half hour in the old-fashioned square parlour,
Persuasion |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Long Odds by H. Rider Haggard: like a fan, whereupon I went round to the further side of the pan to
wait for the lions, standing well out in the open, as we stood at the
copse to-day where you shot the woodcock. It was a rather risky thing
to do, but I used to be so sure of my shooting in those days that I did
not so much mind the risk. Scarcely had I got round when I heard the
reeds parting before the onward rush of some animal. 'Now for it,' said
I. On it came. I could see that it was yellow, and prepared for
action, when instead of a lion out bounded a beautiful reit bok which
had been lying in the shelter of the pan. It must, by the way, have
been a reit bok of a peculiarly confiding nature to lay itself down with
the lion, like the lamb of prophesy, but I suppose the reeds were thick,
Long Odds |
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 An International Episode by Henry James: for a permit."
Lord Lambeth's exhilaration increased. "Gad, I believe you Americans would
go anywhere!" he cried.
"We wish to go to Parliament," said Bessie. "That's one of the first things."
"Oh, it would bore you to death!" cried the young man.
"We wish to hear you speak."
"I never speak--except to young ladies," said Lord Lambeth, smiling.
Bessie Alden looked at him a while, smiling, too, in the shadow
of her parasol. "You are very strange," she murmured.
"I don't think I approve of you."
"Ah, now, don't be severe, Miss Alden," said Lord Lambeth,
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