| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Land of Footprints by Stewart Edward White: their way slowly through the grass in a narrow irregular band
extending sometimes for miles. Behind it was blackened soil, and
above it rolled dense clouds of smoke. Always accompanied it
thousands of birds wheeling and dashing frantically in and out of
the murk, often fairly at the flames themselves. The published
writings of a certain worthy and sentimental person waste much
sympathy over these poor birds dashing frenziedly about above
their destroyed nests. As a matter of fact they are taking greedy
advantage of a most excellent opportunity to get insects cheap.
Thousands of the common red-billed European storks patrolled the
grass just in front of the advancing flames, or wheeled barely
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The White Moll by Frank L. Packard: knife-blade.
"What's the haul size up at?" he demanded. "Anything in the safe
besides the shiners?"
"A few hundred dollars," Danglar replied. "I don't know exactly
how much. I told the Cricket to divide it up among the boys who
did the rough work. That's good enough, isn't it, Skeeny? It
gives you a little extra. You'll get yours."
Skeeny grunted compliance.
"Well, let's have a look at the white ones, then," he said.
Rhoda Gray was standing upright in the little hallway now, and now,
pressed close against the wall, she edged toward the door-jamb.
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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 A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: been ever averted from me."
"So be it then," said Lord Menteith, "and let it rest in the
uncertainty in which your augury has placed it. I shall dine not
the less merrily among plaids, and dirks, and kilts to-day."
"It may be so," said Allan; "and, it may be, you do well to enjoy
these moments, which to me are poisoned by auguries of future
evil. But I," he continued--"I repeat to you, that this weapon
--that is, such a weapon as this," touching the hilt of the dirk
which he wore, "carries your fate." "In the meanwhile," said
Lord Menteith, "you, Allan, have frightened the blood from the
cheeks of Annot Lyle--let us leave this discourse, my friend, and
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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 Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin: he hesitates and blunders; and yet, good God! how he writes!"
When we next met, Ralph discovered the trick we had plaid him,
and Osborne was a little laught at.
This transaction fixed Ralph in his resolution of becoming a poet.
I did all I could to dissuade him from it, but he continued
scribbling verses till Pope cured him. He became, however, a pretty
good prose writer. More of him hereafter. But, as I may not have
occasion again to mention the other two, I shall just remark here,
that Watson died in my arms a few years after, much lamented,
being the best of our set. Osborne went to the West Indies,
where he became an eminent lawyer and made money, but died young.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin |
