| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Tapestried Chamber by Walter Scott: "Oh, excellently well! remarkably well! never better in my
life," said General Browne rapidly, and yet with an air of
embarrassment which was obvious to his friend. He then hastily
swallowed a cup of tea, and neglecting or refusing whatever else
was offered, seemed to fall into a fit of abstraction.
"You will take the gun to-day, General?" said his friend and
host, but had to repeat the question twice ere he received the
abrupt answer, "No, my lord; I am sorry I cannot have the
opportunity of spending another day with your lordship; my post
horses are ordered, and will be here directly."
All who were present showed surprise, and Lord Woodville
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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 Tono Bungay by H. G. Wells: live as he lived. It is all one spectacle of forces running to
waste, of people who use and do not replace, the story of a
country hectic with a wasting aimless fever of trade and
money-making and pleasure-seeking. And now I build destroyers!
Other people may see this country in other terms; this is how I
have seen it. In some early chapter in this heap I compared all
our present colour and abundance to October foliage before the
frosts nip down the leaves. That I still feel was a good image.
Perhaps I see wrongly. It may be I see decay all about me
because I am, in a sense, decay. To others it may be a scene of
achievement and construction radiant with hope. I, too, have a
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