| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells: stand. I followed the river, because I considered that the
water gave me my best chance of escape should these giants
return.
The hot water from the Martian's overthrow drifted down-
stream with me, so that for the best part of a mile I could see
little of either bank. Once, however, I made out a string of
black figures hurrying across the meadows from the direction
of Weybridge. Halliford, it seemed, was deserted, and sev-
eral of the houses facing the river were on fire. It was strange
to see the place quite tranquil, quite desolate under the hot
blue sky, with the smoke and little threads of flame going
War of the Worlds |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Faraday as a Discoverer by John Tyndall: Now these lines may be intersected close to the magnet or at a
distance from it. Faraday finds distance to be perfectly immaterial
so long as the number of lines intersected is the same.
For example, when the loop connecting the equator and the pole of
his barmagnet performs one complete revolution round the magnet,
it is manifest that all the lines of force issuing from the magnet
are once intersected. Now it matters not whether the loop be ten feet
or ten inches in length, it matters not how it may be twisted and
contorted, it matters not how near to the magnet or how distant from
it the loop may be, one revolution always produces the same amount
of current electricity, because in all these cases all the lines of
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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 1492 by Mary Johntson: ``Had the fleet sailed?''
Yes, it seemed. The day before the storm. But these
men knew nothing of its fortunes. He kept the Indians
with us until we sailed, so as not to spread news of where
we were, then gave them presents and let them go.
But on the day we set to sail we did not sail, for along
the coast and into our bay came a small caravel, going with
men to our fort in Xaragua. The captain--Ruy Lopez it
was--met us as a wonder, San Domingo having held that
the hurricane must have sunk us, the sea swallowed us up.
He anchored, took his boat and came to the Admiral upon
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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 At the Earth's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs: up sniffing the air with an expression of wonderment upon
his face.
"Why, David," he cried at last, "it's air, as sure as I live.
Why--why what does it mean? Where in the world are we?
What has happened?"
"It means that we're back at the surface all right, Perry," I cried;
"but where, I don't know. I haven't opened her up yet.
Been too busy reviving you. Lord, man, but you had a close squeak!"
"You say we're back at the surface, David? How can
that be? How long have I been unconscious?"
"Not long. We turned in the ice stratum.
At the Earth's Core |
