| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tales of the Klondyke by Jack London: of the cabin, but the cribbed logs tilted up like matches, and the
structure, like a toy house, fell backward in ruin.
"The labor of months! The labor of months, and the passage home!"
Davy wailed, while Montana Kid and the policeman dragged him
backward from the woodpiles.
"You'll 'ave plenty o' hoppertunity all in good time for yer
passage 'ome," the policeman growled, clouting him alongside the
head and sending him flying into safety.
Donald, from the top of the pine, saw the devastating berg sweep
away the cordwood and disappear down-stream. As though satisfied
with this damage, the ice-flood quickly dropped to its old level
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton by Edith Wharton: aged, and he watched the reflection of the process in his
sister's wasted face. At eighteen she had been pretty, and as
full of enthusiasm as he. Now she was sour, trivial,
insignificant--she had missed her chance of life. And she had no
resources, poor creature, was fashioned simply for the primitive
functions she had been denied the chance to fulfil! It
exasperated him to think of it--and to reflect that even now a
little travel, a little health, a little money, might transform
her, make her young and desirable. . . The chief fruit of his
experience was that there is no such fixed state as age or youth--
there is only health as against sickness, wealth as against
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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 Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom by William and Ellen Craft: with my master, who is in the next carriage, sir."
"Well, I calculate you had better get him out; and
be mighty quick about it, because the train will
soon be starting. It is against my rules to let any
man take a slave past here, unless he can satisfy
them in the office that he has a right to take him
along."
The officer then passed on and left me standing
upon the platform, with my anxious heart apparently
palpitating in the throat. At first I scarcely knew
which way to turn. But it soon occurred to me
Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom |
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 King Henry VI by William Shakespeare: hand with York: La Pucelle is taken. The French fly.]
YORK.
Damsel of France, I think I have you fast:
Unchain your spirits now with spelling charms,
And try if they can gain your liberty.
A goodly prize, fit for the devil's grace!
See, how the ugly witch doth bend her brows,
As if with Circe she would change my shape!
PUCELLE.
Chang'd to a worser shape thou canst not be.
YORK.
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