| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Michael Strogoff by Jules Verne: of the council, who receives the prince's kiss, and may pre-
sent himself before him with his girdle untied; the "scheikh-
oul-islam," chief of the Ulemas, representing the priests;
the "cazi-askev," who, in the Emir's absence settles all dis-
putes raised among the soldiers; and lastly, the chief of the
astrologers, whose great business is to consult the stars
every time the Khan thinks of changing his quarters.
When the prisoners were brought into the camp, the
Emir was in his tent. He did not show himself. This
was fortunate, no doubt. A sign, a word from him might
have been the signal for some bloody execution. But 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 Love and Friendship by Jane Austen: as I was the Graces of my Person were the least of my
Perfections. Of every accomplishment accustomary to my sex, I was
Mistress. When in the Convent, my progress had always exceeded my
instructions, my Acquirements had been wonderfull for my age, and
I had shortly surpassed my Masters.
In my Mind, every Virtue that could adorn it was centered; it was
the Rendez-vous of every good Quality and of every noble
sentiment.
A sensibility too tremblingly alive to every affliction of my
Freinds, my Acquaintance and particularly to every affliction of
my own, was my only fault, if a fault it could be called. Alas!
Love and Friendship |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Silverado Squatters by Robert Louis Stevenson: below me, and their long, strident sighing mounted to me
where I stood.
Half an hour later, the fog had surmounted all the ridge on
the opposite side of the gap, though a shoulder of the
mountain still warded it out of our canyon. Napa valley and
its bounding hills were now utterly blotted out. The fog,
sunny white in the sunshine, was pouring over into Lake
County in a huge, ragged cataract, tossing treetops appearing
and disappearing in the spray. The air struck with a little
chill, and set me coughing. It smelt strong of the fog, like
the smell of a washing-house, but with a shrewd tang of the
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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 Apology by Plato: that I would run the risk, having law and justice with me, rather than take
part in your injustice because I feared imprisonment and death. This
happened in the days of the democracy. But when the oligarchy of the
Thirty was in power, they sent for me and four others into the rotunda, and
bade us bring Leon the Salaminian from Salamis, as they wanted to put him
to death. This was a specimen of the sort of commands which they were
always giving with the view of implicating as many as possible in their
crimes; and then I showed, not in word only but in deed, that, if I may be
allowed to use such an expression, I cared not a straw for death, and that
my great and only care was lest I should do an unrighteous or unholy thing.
For the strong arm of that oppressive power did not frighten me into doing
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