| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Talisman by Walter Scott: strength. Nevertheless, in truth thou art as expert in
inflicting wounds as my sage Hakim in curing them. I trust I
shall see the learned leech. I have much to thank; him for, and
had brought some small present."
As he spoke, Saladin exchanged his turban for a Tartar cap. He
had no sooner done so, than De Vaux opened at once his extended
mouth and his large, round eyes, and Richard gazed with scarce
less astonishment, while the Soldan spoke in a grave and altered
voice: "The sick man, saith the poet, while he is yet infirm,
knoweth the physician by his step; but when he is recovered, he
knoweth not even his face when he looks upon him."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Summer by Edith Wharton: aside, and walked out of the room.
Upstairs she took the library key from the place where
she always hid it under her pincushion--who said she
wasn't careful?--put on her hat, and swept down again
and out into the street. If Mr. Royall heard her go he
made no motion to detain her: his sudden rages probably
made him understand the uselessness of reasoning with
hers.
She reached the brick temple, unlocked the door and
entered into the glacial twilight. "I'm glad I'll
never have to sit in this old vault again when other
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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 Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum: narrow ledge of rock which dropped straight away and
left a huge black space which the tiny flame of the
candle could not illuminate.
"H-m!" said the Ork, peering over the edge; "this
doesn't look very promising, I'll admit. But let me
take your candle, and I'll fly down and see what's
below us."
"Aren't you afraid?" asked Trot.
"Certainly I'm afraid," responded the Ork. "But
if we intend to escape we can't stay on this shelf
forever. So, as I notice you poor creatures cannot fly,
The Scarecrow of Oz |
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 Pool in the Desert by Sara Jeanette Duncan: The walls of the room contained what is usually there, the enlarged
photograph, the coloured photograph, the amateur theatrical group,
the group of His Excellency's Executive Council, the native
dignitary with a diamond-tipped aigrette in the front of his turban.
The copy in oils of some old Italian landscape, very black and
yellow, also held its invariable place, and above it, very near the
ceiling, a line of canvases which, had I not been led past them to
inspect our ruler and his family, who sat transfixed on an easel in
a resplendent frame, would probably have escaped my attention. I
did proper homage to the easel, and then turned to those pictures.
It was plain enough who had painted them. Armour's broad brush
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