| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Euthydemus by Plato: The cook, I said.
And if a man does his business he does rightly?
Certainly.
And the business of the cook is to cut up and skin; you have admitted that?
Yes, I have admitted that, but you must not be too hard upon me.
Then if some one were to kill, mince, boil, roast the cook, he would do his
business, and if he were to hammer the smith, and make a pot of the potter,
he would do their business.
Poseidon, I said, this is the crown of wisdom; can I ever hope to have such
wisdom of my own?
And would you be able, Socrates, to recognize this wisdom when it has
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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 Pool in the Desert by Sara Jeanette Duncan: possibility of many delusions.
'No,' I said, 'I never did, you know. But the prospect had begun to
impose upon me.'
'To say how right you were would seem, under the circumstances, the
most hateful form of flattery.'
'Yes,' I said, 'I think I can dispense with your verbal
endorsement.' I felt a little bitter. It was, of course, better
that the connoisseur should have discovered the flaw before
concluding the transaction; but although I had pointed it out myself
I was not entirely pleased to have the article returned.
'I am infinitely ashamed that it should have taken me all these
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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 The Wrong Box by Stevenson & Osbourne: article, a goodly barrel jammed into the corner of the van, bore
the superscription, 'M. Finsbury, 16 John Street, Bloomsbury.
Carriage paid.'
In this juxtaposition, the train of powder was prepared; and
there was now wanting only an idle hand to fire it off.
CHAPTER IV. The Magistrate in the Luggage Van
The city of Winchester is famed for a cathedral, a bishop--but he
was unfortunately killed some years ago while riding--a public
school, a considerable assortment of the military, and the
deliberate passage of the trains of the London and South-Western
line. These and many similar associations would have doubtless
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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 The Pool of Blood in the Pastor's Study by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: "Because I enjoy giving people riddles, as I told you. But Gyuri
forbade me to kill people uselessly. I liked the chance of getting
out though. The doctor's so good to me and the others too. Gyuri
is good to me when I have done what he wanted. But you see, Mr.
Muller, I am like a prisoner here and that makes me angry. I made
Gyuri let me out nights sometimes."
"You mean he let you out alone, all alone?"
"Yes, of course, for I threatened to tell the doctor everything if
he didn't."
"You wouldn't have dared do that."
"No, that's true," smiled Varna slyly. "But Gyuri was afraid I
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