| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne: The Nautilus was steadily pursuing its southerly course,
following the fiftieth meridian with considerable speed.
Did he wish to reach the pole? I did not think so,
for every attempt to reach that point had hitherto failed.
Again, the season was far advanced, for in the Antarctic regions
the 13th of March corresponds with the 13th of September
of northern regions, which begin at the equinoctial season.
On the 14th of March I saw floating ice in latitude 55@,
merely pale bits of debris from twenty to twenty-five
feet long, forming banks over which the sea curled.
The Nautilus remained on the surface of the ocean.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin: over the wide plains of La Plata, clothing square leagues of surface almost
to the exclusion of all other plants, have been introduced from Europe; and
there are plants which now range in India, as I hear from Dr. Falconer,
from Cape Comorin to the Himalaya, which have been imported from America
since its discovery. In such cases, and endless instances could be given,
no one supposes that the fertility of these animals or plants has been
suddenly and temporarily increased in any sensible degree. The obvious
explanation is that the conditions of life have been very favourable, and
that there has consequently been less destruction of the old and young, and
that nearly all the young have been enabled to breed. In such cases the
geometrical ratio of increase, the result of which never fails to be
On the Origin of Species |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Tour Through Eastern Counties of England by Daniel Defoe: consisted of three regiments of foot, making about 1,700 men, and
these charged our regiment in the lane, commanded by Sir George
Lisle and Sir William Campion. They fell on with great fury, and
were received with as much gallantry, and three times repulsed; nor
could they break in here, though the Lord Fairfax sent fresh men to
support them, till the Royalists' horse, oppressed with numbers on
the left, were obliged to retire, and at last to come full gallop
into the street, and so on into the town. Nay, still the foot
stood firm, and the volunteers, being all gentlemen, kept their
ground with the greatest resolution; but the left wing being
routed, as above, Sir William Campion was obliged to make a front
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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 The Elixir of Life by Honore de Balzac: son.
Even as he spoke the pure high notes of a woman's voice,
sustained by the sound of the viol on which she accompanied her
song, rose above the rattle of the storm against the casements,
and floated up to the chamber of death. Don Juan stopped his ears
against the barbarous answer to his father's speech.
"I bear you no grudge, my child," Bartolommeo went on.
The words were full of kindness, but they hurt Don Juan; he could
not pardon this heart-searching goodness on his father's part.
"What a remorseful memory for me!" he cried, hypocritically.
"Poor Juanino," the dying man went on, in a smothered voice, "I
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