| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tour Through Eastern Counties of England by Daniel Defoe: that all those things are provided. A person very curious, and on
whose veracity I think I may depend, going through the market in
this town, told me, that he reckoned upwards of six hundred country
people on horseback and on foot, with baskets and other carriage,
who had all of them brought something or other to town to sell,
besides the butchers, and what came in carts and waggons.
It happened to be my lot to be once at this town at the time when a
very fine new ship, which was built there for some merchants of
London, was to be launched; and if I may give my guess at the
numbers of people which appeared on the shore, in the houses, and
on the river, I believe I am much within compass if I say there
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Little Britain by Washington Irving: gossiping convocation everything that had passed, and pulling
the Lambs and their rout all to pieces.
The only one of the family that could not be made
fashionable was the retired butcher himself. Honest Lamb, in
spite of the meekness of his name, was a rough, hearty old
fellow, with the voice of a lion, a head of black hair like a
shoe-
brush, and a broad face mottled like his own beef. It was in
vain that the daughters always spoke of him as "the old
gentleman," addressed him as "papa," in tones of infinite
softness, and endeavored to coax him into a dressing-gown and
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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 Red Seal by Natalie Sumner Lincoln: "On the contrary I want Rochester found and every bit of evidence
against him sifted out and aired," retorted Kent. "Two heads are
better than one, Ferguson; let us work together. Rochester must be
located within the next twenty-four hours."
Ferguson debated a moment, but Kent's speech as well as his manner
indicated his sincerity, and the detective shook off his suspicions.
"Have you had any further news of your partner?" he asked.
"No; that is" - recalling the scene in the bank early that afternoon
-" nothing that relates to Rochester's present whereabouts. Now,
Ferguson, to put your charges against Rochester in concrete form, you
believe that he was insanely jealous of Jimmie Turnbull, that he
The Red Seal |
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 King of the Golden River by John Ruskin: his brother Hans lying exhausted on the path before him, and as he
gazed the figure stretched its arms to him and cried for water.
"Ha, ha!" laughed Schwartz, "are you there? Remember the prison
bars, my boy. Water, indeed! do you suppose I carried it all the
way up here for you?" And he strode over the figure; yet, as he
passed, he thought he saw a strange expression of mockery about its
lips. And when he had gone a few yards farther, he looked back; but
the figure was not there.
And a sudden horror came over Schwartz, he knew not why; but
the thirst for gold prevailed over his fear, and he rushed on. And
the bank of black cloud rose to the zenith, and out of it came
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