| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Adieu by Honore de Balzac: the forest; he questioned the tree-tops and examined the branching
paths, hoping to discover some dwelling where he could ask
hospitality. Arriving at a cross-ways, he thought he noticed a slight
smoke rising among the trees; he stopped, looked more attentively, and
saw, in the midst of a vast copse, the dark-green branches of several
pine-trees.
"A house! a house!" he cried, with the joy the sailor feels in crying
"Land!"
Then he sprang quickly into the copse, and the colonel, who had fallen
into a deep reverie, followed him mechanically.
"I'd rather get an omelet, some cottage bread, and a chair here," he
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Straight Deal by Owen Wister: England has stolen what belonged to whites, and blacks, and bronzes, and
yellows, wherever she could lay her hands upon it, they say. England is a
criminal. They repeat this with great satisfaction, this land-grabbing
indictment. Most of them know little or nothing of the facts, couldn't
tell you the history of a single case. But what are the facts to the man
who asks, "What has England done in this war, anyway?" The word
"land-grabber" has been passed to him by German and Sinn Fein propaganda,
and he merely parrots it forth. He couldn't discuss it at all. "Look at
the Boers," he may know enough to reply, if you remind him that England's
land-grabbing was done a good while ago. Well, we shall certainly look at
the Boers in due time, but just now we must look at ourselves. I suppose
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from An International Episode by Henry James: He was evidently a very good fellow, and he made an impression upon
his visitors; his hospitality seemed to recommend itself consciously--
with a friendly wink, as it were--as if it hinted, judicially, that you
could not possibly make a better bargain. Lord Lambeth and his cousin
left their entertainer to his labors and returned to their hotel,
where they spent three or four hours in their respective shower baths.
Percy Beaumont had suggested that they ought to see something of
the town; but "Oh, damn the town!" his noble kinsman had rejoined.
They returned to Mr. Westgate's office in a carriage, with their luggage,
very punctually; but it must be reluctantly recorded that, this time,
he kept them waiting so long that they felt themselves missing
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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 Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: so to you,' said I, 'for I assure you he brought me all the
money I sent him for, and here it is,' said I (pulling out my
purse with about twelve guineas in it); and added, 'I intend
you shall have most of it by and by.'
He seemed distasted a little at her talking as she did at first,
as well as I, taking it, as I fancied he would, as something
forward of her; but when he saw me give such an answer, he
came immediately to himself again. The next morning we
talked of it again, when I found he was fully satisfied, and,
smiling, said he hoped I would not want money and not tell
him of it, and that I had promised him otherwise. I told him
Moll Flanders |
