| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tour Through Eastern Counties of England by Daniel Defoe: Lord Capel, Sir George Lisle, and Sir Charles Lucas.
This day we had news in the town that the Suffolk forces were
advanced to assist the besiegers, and that they began a fort called
Fort Suffolk, on the north side of the town, to shut up the Suffolk
road towards Stratford. This day the besieged sallied out at north
bridge, attacked the out-guards of the Suffolk men on Mile End
Heath, and drove them into their fort in the woods.
This day the Lord Fairfax sent a trumpet, complaining of chewed and
poisoned bullets being shot from the town, and threatening to give
no quarter if that practice was allowed; but Lord Goring returned
answer, with a protestation, that no such thing was done by his
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Damaged Goods by Upton Sinclair: all our decay. They are the victims of fathers who have married,
being ignorant of what you know--things which I should like to go
and cry out in the public places."
The doctor paused, and then in a solemn voice continued: "I have
told you all, without exaggeration. Think it over. Consider the
pros and cons; sum up the possible misfortunes and the certain
miseries. But disregard yourself, and consider that there are in
one side of the scales the misfortunes of others, and in the
other your own. Take care that you are just."
George was at last overcome. "Very well," he said, "I give way.
I won't get married. I will invent some excuse; I will get a
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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 Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne: widow of the magistrate, was to die upon the gallows. In either
case, there was very much the same solemnity of demeanour on the
part of the spectators, as befitted a people among whom religion
and law were almost identical, and in whose character both were
so thoroughly interfused, that the mildest and severest acts of
public discipline were alike made venerable and awful. Meagre,
indeed, and cold, was the sympathy that a transgressor might look
for, from such bystanders, at the scaffold. On the other hand, a
penalty which, in our days, would infer a degree of mocking
infamy and ridicule, might then be invested with almost as stern
a dignity as the punishment of death itself.
The Scarlet Letter |
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 Dynamiter by Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Van De Grift Stevenson: curtain was thrust aside, and a lady, somewhat strangely
attired, stepped forth upon the terrace.
'Senorito,' said she, and there was a rich thrill in her
voice, like an organ note, 'Senorito, you are in
difficulties. Suffer me to come to your assistance.'
With the words, she took the paper and tobacco from his
unresisting hands; and with a facility that, in Desborough's
eyes, seemed magical, rolled and presented him a cigarette.
He took it, still seated, still without a word; staring with
all his eyes upon that apparition. Her face was warm and
rich in colour; in shape, it was that piquant triangle, so
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