| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: left black in the middle of a glowing fire. The efforts made by
several noble minds to win this glorious part of France, so rich in
neglected treasures, to social life and to prosperity have all, even
when sustained by government, come to nought against the inflexibility
of a population given over to the habits of immemorial routine. This
unfortunate condition is partly accounted for by the nature of the
land, broken by ravines, mountain torrents, lakes, and marshes, and
bristling with hedges or earth-works which make a sort of citadel of
every field; without roads, without canals, and at the mercy of
prejudices which scorn our modern agriculture. These will further be
shown with all their dangers in our present history.
The Chouans |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Wrecker by Stevenson & Osbourne: what a gift that woman is! You think you know something of
life: you just don't know anything. It's the GOODNESS of the
woman, it's a revelation!"
"That's all right," said I. "That's how I hoped to hear you, Jim."
"And so the Flying Scud was a fraud," he resumed. "I didn't
quite understand your letter, but I made out that."
"Fraud is a mild term for it," said I. "The creditors will never
believe what fools we were. And that reminds me," I
continued, rejoicing in the transition, "how about the
bankruptcy?"
"You were lucky to be out of that," answered Jim, shaking his
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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 Court Life in China by Isaac Taylor Headland: exercises." The real meaning of this "chieh san" I did not
comprehend, but I knew that those who were invited sent presents
of cakes or fruit, or baskets of paper flowers, incense, gold and
silver ingots made of paper, or rolls of paper silk, all of which
were intended for the use of the spirit of the departed. The
paper presents were all burned on the evening of the third day,
while the spirit feasted upon the flavour of the fruit and cakes.
As I did not feel that it was appropriate for me to send these
things, I had a beautiful wreath of white chrysanthemum flowers
made, and sent that instead. While I appreciated the invitation,
I thought it was probably given only as a matter of form, and
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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 Jungle by Upton Sinclair: She sank down upon the floor, beginning to cry again. It was like
listening to the moan of a damned soul, and Jurgis could not stand it.
He smote his fist upon the table by his side, and shouted again at her,
"Answer me!"
She began to scream aloud, her voice like the voice of some wild beast:
"Ah! Ah! I can't! I can't do it!"
"Why can't you do it?" he shouted.
"I don't know how!"
He sprang and caught her by the arm, lifting her up, and glaring
into her face. "Tell me where you were last night!" he panted.
"Quick, out with it!"
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