| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson: to know that I have a pride of my own. It was by no will of mine
that I came seeking you; and if you show me your door again, I'll
take you at the word."
He seemed grievously put out. "Hoots-toots," said he, "ca'
cannie, man -- ca' cannie! Bide a day or two. I'm nae warlock,
to find a fortune for you in the bottom of a parritch bowl; but
just you give me a day or two, and say naething to naebody, and
as sure as sure, I'll do the right by you."
"Very well," said I, "enough said. If you want to help me,
there's no doubt but I'll be glad of it, and none but I'll be
grateful."
Kidnapped |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Chronicles of the Canongate by Walter Scott: haldin yit in gret veneration."--BOECE, BOOK 12, CH. 16.
It is by no means clear what Scottish prince first built a
palace, properly so called, in the precincts of this renowned
seat of sanctity. The abbey, endowed by successive sovereigns
and many powerful nobles with munificent gifts of lands and
tithes, came, in process of time, to be one of the most important
of the ecclesiastical corporations of Scotland; and as early as
the days of Robert Bruce, parliaments were held occasionally
within its buildings. We have evidence that James IV. had a
royal lodging adjoining to the cloister; but it is generally
agreed that the first considerable edifice for the accommodation
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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 At the Sign of the Cat & Racket by Honore de Balzac: "You will be stifled!" cried Augustine. "Let us go."
But there are moments, at the Salon, when two women are not always
free to direct their steps through the galleries. By the irregular
course to which they were compelled by the press, Mademoiselle
Guillaume and her cousin were pushed to within a few steps of the
second picture. Chance thus brought them, both together, to where they
could easily see the canvas made famous by fashion, for once in
agreement with talent. Madame Roguin's exclamation of surprise was
lost in the hubbub and buzz of the crowd; Augustine involuntarily shed
tears at the sight of this wonderful study. Then, by an almost
unaccountable impulse, she laid her finger on her lips, as she
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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 Case of the Golden Bullet by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: increasing storm under the lea of the castle wall. He crouched so
close to the stones that he could scarcely be seen at all, in
spite of the light from the snow. Finally he disappeared altogether
behind one of the heavy columns which sprang out at intervals from
the magnificent wall. Only his head peeped out occasionally as if
looking for something. His dark, thoughtful eyes glanced over the
little village spread out on one side of the castle, and over the
railway station, its most imposing building. Then they would turn
back again to the entrance gate in the wall near where he stood.
It was a heavy iron-barred gate, its handsome ornamentation outlined
in snow, and behind it the body of a large dog could be occasionally
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