| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain: greenbacks languish to zero, and everything come to a
standstill. Go on, Sandy."
"And so upon a time, after year and day, the good
abbot made humble surrender and destroyed the bath.
And behold, His anger was in that moment appeased,
and the waters gushed richly forth again, and even
unto this day they have not ceased to flow in that
generous measure."
"Then I take it nobody has washed since."
"He that would essay it could have his halter free;
yes, and swiftly would he need it, too."
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Master of the World by Jules Verne: uneasy about Great Eyrie, and would be as eager as I to discover the
cause of these phenomena.
When I had finished my communication, Elias Smith gazed at me for
some moments in silence. Then he said, softly, "So at Washington they
wish to know what the Great Eyrie hides within its circuit?"
"Yes, Mr. Smith."
"And you, also?"
"I do."
"So do I, Mr. Strock."
He and I were as one in our curiosity.
"You will understand," added he, knocking the cinders from his pipe,
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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 House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne: said Holgrave, slightly smiling; "so, my dear madam, you will
hardly expect me to sympathize with sensibilities of this kind;
though, unless I deceive myself, I have some imperfect
comprehension of them. These names of gentleman and lady had
a meaning, in the past history of the world, and conferred
privileges, desirable or otherwise, on those entitled to bear
them. In the present--and still more in the future condition
of society-they imply, not privilege, but restriction!"
"These are new notions," said the old gentlewoman, shaking her
head. "I shall never understand them; neither do I wish it."
"We will cease to speak of them, then," replied the artist, with
House of Seven Gables |
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 Beasts of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "They catch us," replied Anderssen, in a voice so low
that the ape-man could just distinguish the words.
"They catch us. Ay fight, but my men they all run away.
Then they get me when Ay ban vounded. Rokoff he say leave
me here for the hyenas. That vas vorse than to kill.
He tak your vife and kid."
"What were you doing with them--where were you taking them?"
asked Tarzan, and then fiercely, leaping close to the
fellow with fierce eyes blazing with the passion of hate and
vengeance that he had with difficulty controlled, "What harm
did you do to my wife or child? Speak quick before I kill you!
The Beasts of Tarzan |
