| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Daisy Miller by Henry James: The distance from the Via Gregoriana to the beautiful
garden at the other end of the Pincian Hill is, in fact,
rapidly traversed. As the day was splendid, however, and the
concourse of vehicles, walkers, and loungers numerous,
the young Americans found their progress much delayed.
This fact was highly agreeable to Winterbourne, in spite of his
consciousness of his singular situation. The slow-moving, idly
gazing Roman crowd bestowed much attention upon the extremely
pretty young foreign lady who was passing through it upon his arm;
and he wondered what on earth had been in Daisy's mind when she
proposed to expose herself, unattended, to its appreciation.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Oscar Wilde Miscellaneous by Oscar Wilde: Kill him! kill him!
SIMONE. Put out the torch, Bianca.
[Bianca puts out torch.]
Now, my good Lord,
Now to the death of one, or both of us,
Or all three it may be. [They fight.]
There and there.
Ah, devil! do I hold thee in my grip?
[Simone overpowers Guido and throws him down over table.]
GUIDO. Fool! take your strangling fingers from my throat.
I am my father's only son; the State
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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 Othello by William Shakespeare: That ere our hearts shall make
Iago. Oh you are well tun'd now: But Ile set downe
the peggs that make this Musicke, as honest as I am
Othe. Come: let vs to the Castle.
Newes (Friends) our Warres are done:
The Turkes are drown'd.
How do's my old Acquaintance of this Isle?
(Hony) you shall be well desir'd in Cyprus,
I haue found great loue among'st them. Oh my Sweet,
I prattle out of fashion, and I doate
In mine owne comforts. I prythee, good Iago,
Othello |
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 Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: their children to baptism, and return to be men, yea, Christians
again. I hope no CIVIL people amongst us will turn barbarians, now
these barbarians begin to be civilized."*
* Fuller, p. 398.
With which quip against the Anabaptists of his day, Fuller ends his
story; and I leave him to set forth how Amyas, in fear of these
same Scythians and heathens, rode out of Plymouth on a right good
horse, in his full suit of armor, carrying lance and sword, and
over and above two great dags, or horse-pistols; and behind him
Salvation Yeo, and five or six north Devon men (who had served with
him in Ireland, and were returning on furlough), clad in head-
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