| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Red Seal by Natalie Sumner Lincoln: while circumstantial evidence pointed to his having poisoned Helen's
lover, Jimmie...
"If you must know, Ferguson," Kent spoke with deliberation. "They
are old love letters of mine."
Clymer glanced down at the envelope which the detective still held,
the red seal making a distinct blotch of color on the white, glazed
surface.
"Ah, Kent," he said in amusement. "So rumor is right in predicting
your engagement to Barbara McIntyre. Good luck to you!"
Through the open doorway to the dining room where the dancing had
ceased for the moment, came a soft laugh and Mrs. Brewster looked
The Red Seal |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Eryxias by Platonic Imitator: speaking the truth. And when at last a certain talkative young gentleman
came in, and, taking his seat, began to laugh and jeer at Prodicus,
tormenting him and demanding an explanation of his argument, he gained the
ear of the audience far more than Prodicus.
Can you repeat the discourse to us? Said Erasistratus.
SOCRATES: If I can only remember it, I will. The youth began by asking
Prodicus, In what way did he think that riches were a good and in what an
evil? Prodicus answered, as you did just now, that they were a good to
good men and to those who knew in what way they should be employed, while
to the bad and the ignorant they were an evil. The same is true, he went
on to say, of all other things; men make them to be what they are
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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 Maid Marian by Thomas Love Peacock: extracted from the piety of the precursor, he compelled them,
in addition, to give him their blessing for nothing.
Matilda, therefore, from all these circumstances, felt little
hope that her lover would be any thing but an outlaw for life.
The departure of King Richard from England was succeeded by the episcopal
regency of the bishops of Ely and Durham. Longchamp, bishop of Ely,
proceeded to show his sense of Christian fellowship by arresting his
brother bishop, and despoiling him of his share in the government;
and to set forth his humility and loving-kindness in a retinue of nobles
and knights who consumed in one night's entertainment some five years'
revenue of their entertainer, and in a guard of fifteen hundred
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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 Michael Strogoff by Jules Verne: officer nor a soldier left in Ichim.
On arriving at the relay, Michael Strogoff immediately
asked for horses. He had been fortunate in distancing the
berlin. Only three horses were fit to be harnessed. The
others had just come in worn out from a long stage.
As the two correspondents intended to stop at Ichim,
they had not to trouble themselves to find transport, and
had their carriage put away. In ten minutes Michael was
told that his tarantass was ready to start.
"Good," said he.
Then turning to the two reporters: "Well, gentlemen,
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