| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Ebb-Tide by Stevenson & Osbourne: pearl and shell, of course; there couldn't be nothing else in
such a place, and no doubt the shell goes off regularly by this
Trinity Hall, and the money for it straight into the bank, so
that's no use to us. But what else is there? Is there nothing
else he would be likely to keep here? Is there nothing else he
would be bound to keep here? Yes, sir; the pearls! First, because
they're too valuable to trust out of his hands. Second, because
pearls want a lot of handling and matching; and the man who sells
his pearls as they come in, one here, one there, instead of
hanging back and holding up--well, that man's a fool, and it's
not Attwater.'
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker: accept him. Faugh! I am ashamed to tell you such a thing. The
beast!"
Whilst they had been speaking, she had opened the door, a narrow
iron one, well hung, for it opened easily and closed tightly without
any creaking or sound of any kind. Within all was dark; but she
entered as freely and with as little misgiving or restraint as if it
had been broad daylight. For Adam, there was just sufficient green
light from somewhere for him to see that there was a broad flight of
heavy stone steps leading upward; but Lady Arabella, after shutting
the door behind her, when it closed tightly without a clang, tripped
up the steps lightly and swiftly. For an instant all was dark, but
Lair of the White Worm |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: put either yourself or me to so shameful a necessity?"
"My dear Sir Richard!--"
"Must I, then, ask you to stand back from your own doorway, my dear
sir?" said Grenville. And then changing his voice to that fearful
lion's roar, for which he was famous, and which it seemed
impossible that lips so delicate could utter, he thundered,
"Knaves, behind there! Back!"
This was spoken to half-a-dozen grooms and serving-men, who, well
armed, were clustered in the passage.
"What? swords out, you sons of cliff rabbits?" And in a moment,
Sir Richard's long blade flashed out also, and putting Mr. Leigh
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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 Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte by Karl Marx: Won, arms in hand, by the proletariat, they put upon it the stamp of
their own class, and proclaimed the social republic. Thus the general
purpose of modern revolutions was indicated, a purpose, however, that
stood in most singular contradiction to every thing that, with the
material at hand, with the stage of enlightenment that the masses had
reached, and under existing circumstances and conditions, could be
immediately used. On the other hand, the claims of all the other
elements, that had cooperated in the revolution of February, were
recognized by the lion's share that they received in the government.
Hence, in no period do we find a more motley mixture of high-sounding
phrases together with actual doubt and helplessness; of more
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