| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Turn of the Screw by Henry James: how my equilibrium depended on the success of my rigid will,
the will to shut my eyes as tight as possible to the truth
that what I had to deal with was, revoltingly, against nature.
I could only get on at all by taking "nature" into my
confidence and my account, by treating my monstrous
ordeal as a push in a direction unusual, of course,
and unpleasant, but demanding, after all, for a fair front,
only another turn of the screw of ordinary human virtue.
No attempt, nonetheless, could well require more tact than
just this attempt to supply, one's self, ALL the nature.
How could I put even a little of that article into a suppression
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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 Ebb-Tide by Stevenson & Osbourne: relic (such as a single eye-glass) of the officer and gentleman,
they sprawl in palm-leaf verandahs and entertain an island
audience with memoirs of the music-hall. And there are still
others, less pliable, less capable, less fortunate, perhaps less
base, who continue, even in these isles of plenty, to lack bread.
At the far end of the town of Papeete, three such men were
seated on the beach under a purao tree.
It was late. Long ago the band had broken up and marched
musically home, a motley troop of men and women, merchant
clerks and navy officers, dancing in its wake, arms about waist
and crowned with garlands. Long ago darkness and silence had
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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 Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: her free innocence, gazed fearlessly in return, as Eve might have
done in Paradise, upon the mighty stature, and the strange
garments, and above all, on the bushy beard and flowing yellow
locks of the Englishman.
He spoke first, in some Indian tongue, gently and smilingly, and
made a half-step forward; but quick as light she caught up from the
ground a bow, and held it fiercely toward him, fitted with the long
arrow, with which, as he could see, she had been striking fish, for
a line of twisted grass hung from its barbed head. Amyas stopped,
laid down his own bow and sword, and made another step in advance,
smiling still, and making all Indian signs of amity: but the arrow
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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 Twilight Land by Howard Pyle: finger-tip. He struck his heel upon the circle. The ground
opened, disclosing the steps leading downward. The young man
descended the steps with the queen behind him, and behind them
both came the Demon Zadok.
The young man opened the door of adamant and entered the first of
the vaulted rooms.
When the queen saw the huge basin full of silver treasure, her
cheeks and her forehead flushed as red as fire.
They went into the next room, and when the queen saw the basin of
gold her face turned as white as ashes.
They went into the third room, and when the queen saw the basin
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