| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Baby Mine by Margaret Mayo: dying and resolved to, at last, adopt a straight course, "if
you'll only listen, I'll tell you the REAL TRUTH."
Unprepared for the electrical effect of her remark, Zoie found
herself staggering to keep her feet. She gazed at Alfred in
amazement. His arms were lifted to Heaven, his breath was coming
fast.
" 'The REAL TRUTH!' " he gasped, then bringing his crushed hat
down on his forehead with a resounding whack, he rushed from her
sight.
The clang of the closing elevator door brought Zoie to a
realisation of what had actually happened. Determined that
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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 Ball at Sceaux by Honore de Balzac: The stranger, alone and absorbed in thought, leaned lightly against
one of the columns that supported the roof; his arms were folded, and
he leaned slightly on one side as though he had placed himself there
to have his portrait taken by a painter. His attitude, though full of
elegance and dignity, was devoid of affectation. Nothing suggested
that he had half turned his head, and bent it a little to the right
like Alexander, or Lord Byron, and some other great men, for the sole
purpose of attracting attention. His fixed gaze followed a girl who
was dancing, and betrayed some strong feeling. His slender, easy frame
recalled the noble proportions of the Apollo. Fine black hair curled
naturally over a high forehead. At a glance Mademoiselle de Fontaine
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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 Travels with a Donkey in the Cevenne by Robert Louis Stevenson: and this was a kind of consolation - he was plainly unworthy of
Modestine's affection. But the incident saddened me, as did
everything that spoke of my donkey's sex.
It was blazing hot up the valley, windless, with vehement sun upon
my shoulders; and I had to labour so consistently with my stick
that the sweat ran into my eyes. Every five minutes, too, the
pack, the basket, and the pilot-coat would take an ugly slew to one
side or the other; and I had to stop Modestine, just when I had got
her to a tolerable pace of about two miles an hour, to tug, push,
shoulder, and readjust the load. And at last, in the village of
Ussel, saddle and all, the whole hypothec turned round and
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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 Betty Zane by Zane Grey: swift, narrow river, rushing noisily over its rocky bed. The banks of the
stream were lined with rows of canoes; here and there a bridge made of a
single tree spanned the stream. From the camp fires long, thin columns of blue
smoke curled lazily upward; giant maple trees, in them garb of purple and
gold, rose high above the wigwams, adding a further beauty to this peaceful
scene.
As Isaac was led down a lane between two long lines of tepees the watching
Indians did not make the demonstration that usually marked the capture of a
paleface. Some of the old squaws looked up from their work round the campfires
and steaming kettles and grinned as the prisoner passed. The braves who were
sitting upon their blankets and smoking their long pipes, or lounging before
Betty Zane |
