| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Research Magnificent by H. G. Wells: Of course this wandering must end. He had been growing impatient
for some time. But it was difficult, she perceived, to decide just
what to do with him. . . .
Benham picked up the thread of his musing.
He was seeing more and more clearly that all civilization was an
effort, and so far always an inadequate and very partially
successful effort. Always it had been aristocratic, aristocratic in
the sense that it was the work of minorities, who took power, who
had a common resolution against the inertia, the indifference, the
insubordination and instinctive hostility of the mass of mankind.
And always the set-backs, the disasters of civilization, had been
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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 Breaking Point by Mary Roberts Rinehart: Wheeler institution, but was notoriously a Sayre one. And Nina
believed in putting one's best foot foremost, even when that resulted
in a state of unstable domestic equilibrium.
"Put in a word for me, Nina," Wallie begged. "I intend to ask
Elizabeth to go to the theater this week, and I think she is going
to refuse."
"What's the play?" Nina inquired negligently. She was privately
determining that her mother needed a tea cart and a new tea service.
There were some in old Georgian silver -
"'The Valley.' Not that the play matters. It's Beverly Carlysle."
"I thought she was dead, or something."
The Breaking Point |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Tom Grogan by F. Hopkinson Smith: "Well, you nev' cam' to stable anna more, Mees Jan," Carl said
slowly, in a tender, pleading tone, his gaze on her face.
The girl reached through the fence for the golden flower. She
dared not trust herself to look. She knew what was in her lover's
eyes.
"I get ta flower," said Carl, vaulting the fence with one hand.
"No; please don't trouble. Oh, Carl!" she exclaimed suddenly.
"The horrid brier! My hand's all scratched! "
"Ah, Mees Jan, I so sorry! Let Carl see it," he said, his voice
melting. "I tak' ta brier out," pushing back the tangled vines of
last year to bring himself nearer.
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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 Sportsman by Xenophon: off, there is a fair chance of being wounded, for he will certainly
vent his fury on the first creature he falls foul of.
[22] Lit. "then they will take their javelins and boar-spears and
advance."
As soon as the hounds are near his lair, they will make their
onslaught. The boar, bewildered by the uproar, will rise up and toss
the first hound that ventures to attack him in front. He will then run
and fall into the toils; or if not, then after him full cry.[23] Even
if the ground on which the toils environ him be sloping, he will
recover himself promptly;[24] but if level, he will at once plant
himself firm as a rock, as if deliberating with himself.[25] At that
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