| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Contrast by Royall Tyler: American babies.--Apropos, of babies, have you
heard what Mrs. Affable's high-flying notions of deli-
cacy have come to?
LETITIA
Who, she that was Miss Lovely?
CHARLOTTE
The same; she married Bob Affable of Schenectady.
Don't you remember?
Enter SERVANT.
SERVANT.
Madam, the carriage is ready.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Two Noble Kinsmen by William Shakespeare: you most course freeze capacities, ye jane Iudgements, have I
saide:
thus let be, and there let be, and then let be, and no man
understand
mee? Proh deum, medius fidius, ye are all dunces! For why, here
stand I, Here the Duke comes, there are you close in the Thicket;
the Duke appeares, I meete him and unto him I utter learned
things
and many figures; he heares, and nods, and hums, and then cries:
rare, and I goe forward; at length I fling my Cap up; marke
there;
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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 The Underground City by Jules Verne: terrible means by which the whole of Aberfoyle might be annihilated.
Armed sentinels were posted at the various entrances to
the mine, with orders to keep strict watch day and night.
Any stranger entering the mine was brought before James Starr,
that he might give an account of himself. There being no fear
of treason among the inhabitants of Coal Town, the threatened
danger to the subterranean colony was made known to them.
Nell was informed of all the precautions taken, and became
more tranquil, although she was not free from uneasiness.
Harry's determination to follow her wherever she went compelled
her to promise not to escape from her friends.
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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 A Footnote to History by Robert Louis Stevenson: there are more signboards than men to own them. It may chance it
is a full day in the harbour; he will then have seen all manner of
ships, from men-of-war and deep-sea packets to the labour vessels
of the German firm and the cockboat island schooner; and if he be
of an arithmetical turn, he may calculate that there are more
whites afloat in Apia bay than whites ashore in the whole
Archipelago. On the other hand, he will have encountered all ranks
of natives, chiefs and pastors in their scrupulous white clothes;
perhaps the king himself, attended by guards in uniform; smiling
policemen with their pewter stars; girls, women, crowds of cheerful
children. And he will have asked himself with some surprise where
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