| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Betty Zane by Zane Grey: "Indeed I do. While at Fort Pitt I used to have spells of the blues which
lasted for days. For a time I felt more contented here. But I fear the old
fever of restlessness will come over me again. I can speak freely to you
because l know you will understand, and I feel sure of your sympathy. My
father wanted me to be a minister. He sent me to the theological seminary at
Princeton, where for two years I tried to study. Then my father died. I went
home and looked after things until my mother married again. That changed
everything for me. I ran away and have since been a wanderer. I feel that I am
not lazy, that I am not afraid of work, but four years have drifted by and I
have nothing to show for it. I am discouraged. Perhaps that is wrong, but tell
me how I can help it. I have not the stoicism of the hunter, Wetzel, nor have
Betty Zane |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Black Beauty by Anna Sewell: coming rapidly down the hill toward us. The hedge was high,
and I could see nothing, but the next moment we were upon each other.
Happily for me, I was on the side next the hedge. Rory was on
the left side of the pole, and had not even a shaft to protect him.
The man who was driving was making straight for the corner,
and when he came in sight of us he had no time to pull over to his own side.
The whole shock came upon Rory. The gig shaft ran right into the chest,
making him stagger back with a cry that I shall never forget.
The other horse was thrown upon his haunches and one shaft broken.
It turned out that it was a horse from our own stables,
with the high-wheeled gig that the young men were so fond of.
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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 New Arabian Nights by Robert Louis Stevenson: they all burned bravely. The fire had taken a firm hold already on
the outhouse, which blazed higher and higher every moment; the back
door was in the centre of a red-hot bonfire; the eaves we could
see, as we looked upward, were already smouldering, for the roof
overhung, and was supported by considerable beams of wood. At the
same time, hot, pungent, and choking volumes of smoke began to fill
the house. There was not a human being to be seen to right or
left.
"Ah, well!" said Northmour, "here's the end, thank God."
And we returned to MY UNCLE'S ROOM. Mr. Huddlestone was putting on
his boots, still violently trembling, but with an air of
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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 A Daughter of Eve by Honore de Balzac: "Monsieur Nathan is incapable of accepting money from an actress."
"You don't know that class of people, my dear," said the count. "He
would not deny the fact if you asked him."
"I will certainly go to the ball," said the countess.
"You will be very much amused," replied Vandenesse. "With such weapons
in hand you can cut Nathan's complacency to the quick, and you will
also do him a great service. You will put him in a fury; he'll try to
be calm, though inwardly fuming; but, all the same, you will enlighten
a man of talent as to the peril in which he really stands; and you
will also have the satisfaction of laming the horses of the 'juste-
milieu' in their stalls-- But you are not listening to me, my dear."
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