| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad: corner sitting high above a pair of red wheels. A guilty-looking
cat issuing from under the stones ran for a while in front of Mr
Verloc, then dived into another basement; and a thick police
constable, looking a stranger to every emotion, as if he too were
part of inorganic nature, surging apparently out of a lamp-post,
took not the slightest notice of Mr Verloc. With a turn to the
left Mr Verloc pursued his way along a narrow street by the side of
a yellow wall which, for some inscrutable reason, had No. 1 Chesham
Square written on it in black letters. Chesham Square was at least
sixty yards away, and Mr Verloc, cosmopolitan enough not to be
deceived by London's topographical mysteries, held on steadily,
The Secret Agent |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: Master, and remembered his own sins, and spoken concerning the
forgiveness of the same, and with hot tears hath besought the
Lover of mankind to be merciful to him: such an one, I say, by
his continuance in such words and considerations, layeth aside
every care of this life, and waxeth superior to human passions,
and meriteth to be called an associate of God.' Than which state
what can be more blessed and higher? May the Lord vouchsafe thee
to attain to this blessedness!
"Lo I have shown thee the way of the commandments of the Lord,
and have not shunned to declare unto thee all the counsel of God.
And now I, have fulfilled my ministry unto thee. It remaineth
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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 War in the Air by H. G. Wells: was not dead. The chief of the aeronautic establishment near
West Point was Cabot Sinclair, and he allowed himself but one
single moment of the posturing that was so universal in that
democratic time. "We have chosen our epitaphs," he said to a
reporter, "and we are going to have, 'They did all they could.'
Now run away!"
The curious thing is that they did all do all they could; there
is no exception known. Their only defect indeed was a defect of
style. One of the most striking facts historically about this
war, and the one that makes the complete separation that had
arisen between the methods of warfare and the necessity of
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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 Little Rivers by Henry van Dyke: quite sure. But one thing is clear: he is as much elated over the
capture of the real trout as any one. He is ready to deal mildly
with a little irregularity for the sake of encouraging pluck and
perseverance. Before the three comrades have reached the hotel,
the boy has promised faithfully never to take his little brother
off again without asking leave; and the father has promised that
the boy shall have a real jointed fishing-rod of his own, so that
he will not need to borrow old Horace's pole any more.
At breakfast the next morning the family are to have a private
dish; not an every-day affair of vulgar, bony fish that nurses can
catch, but trout--three of them! But the boy looks up from the
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