| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton by Edith Wharton: spluttered and strangled with it. He had just had the Italian up
and had sacked him on the spot, without wages or character--had
threatened to have him arrested if he was ever caught prowling
about Wrenfield. 'By God, and I'll do it--I'll write to
Washington--I'll have the pauper scoundrel deported! I'll show
him what money can do!' As likely as not there was some
murderous Black-hand business under it--it would be found that
the fellow was a member of a 'gang.' Those Italians would murder
you for a quarter. He meant to have the police look into it. . .
And then he grew frightened at his own excitement. 'But I must
calm myself,' he said. He took his temperature, rang for his
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Call of Cthulhu by H. P. Lovecraft: them intact likewise prevented Them from making an initial move,
and They could only lie awake in the dark and think whilst uncounted
millions of years rolled by. They knew all that was occurring
in the universe, for Their mode of speech was transmitted thought.
Even now They talked in Their tombs. When, after infinities of
chaos, the first men came, the Great Old Ones spoke to the sensitive
among them by moulding their dreams; for only thus could Their
language reach the fleshly minds of mammals.
Then, whispered
Castro, those first men formed the cult around tall idols which
the Great Ones shewed them; idols brought in dim eras from dark
Call of Cthulhu |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens: 'Shall I bring him in, father?' asked Barnaby, who had looked on,
wondering.
He only answered with a suppressed groan, and lying down upon the
ground, wrapped his cloak about his head, and shrunk into the
darkest corner.
Finding that nothing would rouse Hugh now, or make him sensible for
a moment, Barnaby dragged him along the grass, and laid him on a
little heap of refuse hay and straw which had been his own bed;
first having brought some water from a running stream hard by, and
washed his wound, and laved his hands and face. Then he lay down
himself, between the two, to pass the night; and looking at the
Barnaby Rudge |
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 Yates Pride by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman: inflection, "I dare say that my Amy will look like that to me."
"If she doesn't you don't love her," said Lawton. "But my Eudora
IS that."
"That is a queer-sounding Greek name."
"She is Greek, like her name. Such beauty never grows old. She
stands on her pedestal, and time only looks at her to love her."
"I thought you were a business man as hard as nails," said the
young man, wonderingly. Lawton laughed.
When Thursday came, Lawton, carefully dressed and carrying a long
tissue-paper package, evidently of roses, approached the Yates
house. It was late in the afternoon. There had been a warm day,
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