| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tarzan the Untamed by Edgar Rice Burroughs: same young woman within the British lines in the uniform of a
British officer. The conclusions were obvious -- she was a spy.
And so Tarzan haunted German headquarters upon many
nights hoping to see her again or to pick up some clew as to
her whereabouts, and at the same time he utilized many an
artifice whereby he might bring terror to the hearts of the
Germans. That he was successful was often demonstrated by
the snatches of conversation he overheard as he prowled
through the German camps. One night as he lay concealed
in the bushes close beside a regimental headquarters he
listened to the conversation of several Boche officers. One of
Tarzan the Untamed |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Witch, et. al by Anton Chekhov: remember, on a low stool, with a little white kerchief on her
head, wearing a grey gown, and she was so thin, so pale, so
sharp-eyed it made one sad to look at her. Behind her stood a
soldier with a gun. She would not confess her guilt. Some in the
court said she had poisoned her husband and others declared he
had poisoned himself for grief. I was one of the witnesses. When
they questioned me, I told the whole truth according to my oath.
'Hers,' said I, 'is the guilt. It's no good to conceal it; she
did not love her husband, and she had a will of her own. . . .'
The trial began in the morning and towards night they passed this
sentence: to send her to hard labour in Siberia for thirteen
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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 Mirror of the Sea by Joseph Conrad: the wind into a sheltered cove, two men just keeping her straight
with their oars. Dominic, with his arm round my shoulders,
supported me in the stern-sheets.
We landed in a familiar part of the country. Dominic took one of
the boat's oars with him. I suppose he was thinking of the stream
we would have presently to cross, on which there was a miserable
specimen of a punt, often robbed of its pole. But first of all we
had to ascend the ridge of land at the back of the Cape. He helped
me up. I was dizzy. My head felt very large and heavy. At the
top of the ascent I clung to him, and we stopped to rest.
To the right, below us, the wide, smoky bay was empty. Dominic had
The Mirror of the Sea |
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 Hated Son by Honore de Balzac: first desire, made the old man smile.
"You have a daughter, Beauvouloir."
"Yes, monseigneur,--the child of my old age; my darling child.
Monseigneur, the duke, your father, charged me so earnestly to watch
your precious health that, not being able to go to Forcalier, where
she was, I have brought her here, to my great regret. In order to
conceal her from all eyes, I have placed her in the house monseigneur
used to occupy. She is so delicate I fear everything, even a sudden
sentiment or emotion. I have never taught her anything; knowledge
would kill her."
"She knows nothing!" cried Etienne, surprised.
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