| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Works of Samuel Johnson by Samuel Johnson: by the appellation of the microcosm, or epitome of
the world: the resemblance between the great and
little world might, by a rational observer, be detailed
to many particulars; and to many more by a fanciful
speculatist. I know not in which of these two classes
I shall be ranged for observing, that as the total
quantity of light and darkness allotted in the course
of the year to every region of the earth is the same,
though distributed at various times and in different
portions; so, perhaps, to each individual of the
human species, nature has ordained the same quantity
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Woman and Labour by Olive Schreiner: all females which suckle their young, and that lesser desire for pugilism
inherent in almost all females who bear their young alive, rendered her
lacking in the two qualities which made for individual dominance in her
societies, may yet, in the future, discover that those changes in human
conditions, which have done away with the primary necessity for muscular
force and pugilistic arts, have also inverted her place in the scale of
social values.
It is possible, that the human female, like the Jew, the male of that type
farthest removed from the dominant male type of the past, may in the future
find, that, so far from those qualities which, in an earlier condition,
lessened her social value and power of labour, continuing to do so, they
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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 Lin McLean by Owen Wister: took to rearranging the mail and the furniture.
"Supper's ready," he said, at length. "Come right in, Miss Peck; right in
here. This is your seat--this one, please. Now you can see my fields out
of the window."
"You sit here," said the biscuit-shooter to Lin; and thus she was between
them. "Them's elegant!" she presently exclaimed to Tommy. "Did you cook
'em?"
I explained that the apricots were of my preparation.
"Indeed!" said she, and returned to Tommy, who had been telling her of
his ranch, his potatoes, his horses. "And do you punch cattle, too?" she
inquired of him.
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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 Great Big Treasury of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter: was covered by the wet blanket,
and it was NOT SNORING ANY LONGER.
There was nothing stirring, and
no sound except the drip, drop,
drop, drip, of water trickling from
the mattress.
Mr. Tod watched it for half an
hour; his eyes glistened.
Then he cut a caper, and became
so bold that he even tapped at the
window; but the bundle never
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