| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Death of the Lion by Henry James: chair; he was to pass up and still up, higher and higher, between
the watching faces and the envious sounds - away up to the dais and
the throne. The article was "epoch-making," a landmark in his
life; he had taken rank at a bound, waked up a national glory. A
national glory was needed, and it was an immense convenience he was
there. What all this meant rolled over me, and I fear I grew a
little faint - it meant so much more than I could say "yea" to on
the spot. In a flash, somehow, all was different; the tremendous
wave I speak of had swept something away. It had knocked down, I
suppose, my little customary altar, my twinkling tapers and my
flowers, and had reared itself into the likeness of a temple vast
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Boys' Life of Abraham Lincoln by Helen Nicolay: without food. The volunteers had not enlisted for any definite
length of time, and seeing no prospect of fighting, they soon
became clamorous to return home. Accordingly his and other
companies were mustered out of service on May 27, at the mouth of
Fox River. At the same time the governor, not wishing to weaken
his forces before the arrival of other soldiers to take their
places, called for volunteers to remain twenty days longer.
Lincoln had gone to the frontier to do real service, not for the
glory of being captain. Accordingly, on the day on which he was
mustered out as an officer he re-enlisted, becoming Private
Lincoln in Captain Iles's company of mounted volunteers,
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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 Men of Iron by Howard Pyle: slowly away to his pavilion, still leaning on his squire's
shoulder, whilst the other attendant followed behind, bearing his
shield and helmet.
Gascoyne had picked up Myles's fallen helmet as the Sieur de la
Montaigne moved away, and Lord George and Sir James Lee came
walking across the lists to where Myles still sat. Then, the one
taking his horse by the bridle-rein, and the other walking beside
the saddle, they led him before the raised dais where the King
sat.
Even the Comte de Vermoise, mortified and amazed as he must have
been at the overthrow of his best knight, joined in the praise
Men of Iron |
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 One Basket by Edna Ferber: bringing you something to eat or drink. And the folks
themselves--why, say! Here we are scraping and bowing to Hattons
and that bunch. They're pikers to what some people are that
invited me to their houses in New York and Berkeley, and treated
me and the other guys like kings or something. Take Megan's
store, too"--he was warming to his subject, so that he failed to
notice the darkening of Tessie's face--"it's a joke compared to
New York and San Francisco stores. Reg'lar hick joint."
Tessie stiffened. Her teeth were set, her eyes sparkled. She
tossed her head. "Well, I'm sure, Mr. Mory, it's good enough
for me. Too bad you had to come home at all now you're so
One Basket |
