| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie: "Anyway, all this tomfoolery is a great waste of time," continued
the lady, glancing up and down the jury disparagingly.
"Talk--talk--talk! When all the time we know perfectly well----"
The Coroner interrupted her in an agony of apprehension:
"Thank you, Miss Howard, that is all."
I fancy he breathed a sigh of relief when she complied.
Then came the sensation of the day. The Coroner called Albert
Mace, chemist's assistant.
It was our agitated young man of the pale face. In answer to the
Coroner's questions, he explained that he was a qualified
pharmacist, but had only recently come to this particular shop,
The Mysterious Affair at Styles |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Essays of Francis Bacon by Francis Bacon: poral sword is to be drawn with great circumspec-
tion in cases of religion; so it is a thing monstrous
to put it into the hands of the common people. Let
that be left unto the Anabaptists, and other furies.
It was great blasphemy, when the devil said, I will
ascend, and be like the highest; but it is greater
blasphemy, to personate God, and bring him in
saying, I will descend, and be like the prince of
darkness; and what is it better, to make the cause
of religion to descend, to the cruel and execrable
actions of murthering princes, butchery of people,
Essays of Francis Bacon |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Faraday as a Discoverer by John Tyndall: acidulated water is certainly a direct result of the current; but as
the varied and important researches of MM. Becquerel, De la Rive,
and others had shown, there are also secondary actions which may
materially interfere with and complicate the pure action of the
current. These actions may occur in two ways: either the liberated
ion may seize upon the electrode against which it is set free,
forming a chemical compound with that electrode; or it may seize
upon the substance of the electrolyte itself, and thus introduce
into the circuit chemical actions over and above those due to the
current. Faraday subjected these secondary actions to an exhaustive
examination. Instructed by his experiments, and rendered competent
|
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 Personal Record by Joseph Conrad: hundred acres out of the estate of a friend in the neighbourhood.
The terms of the lease were very advantageous, but the retired
situation of the village and a plain, comfortable house in good
repair were, I fancy, the greatest inducements. He lived there
quietly for about ten years, seeing very few people and taking no
part in the public life of the province, such as it could be
under an arbitrary bureaucratic tyranny. His character and his
patriotism were above suspicion; but the organizers of the rising
in their frequent journeys up and down the province scrupulously
avoided coming near his house. It was generally felt that the
repose of the old man's last years ought not to be disturbed.
A Personal Record |
