| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini: he found M. Binet talking loudly and vehemently. He had caught
sounds of his voice whilst yet upon the stairs. As he entered Binet
broke off short, and wheeled to face him.
"You are here at last!" It was so odd a greeting that Andre-Louis
did no more than look his mild surprise. "I await your explanations
of the disgraceful scene you provoked to-night."
"Disgraceful? Is it disgraceful that the public should applaud me?"
"The public? The rabble, you mean. Do you want to deprive us of
the patronage of all gentlefolk by vulgar appeals to the low passions
of the mob.?"
Andre-Louis stepped past M. Binet and forward to the table. He
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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 United States Constitution: of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be,
for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, Dockyards,
and other needful Buildings;--And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying
into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested
by this Constitution in the Government of the United States,
or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Section 9. The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any
of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not
be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight
hundred and eight, but a Tax or Duty may be imposed on such Importation,
The United States Constitution |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Wrecker by Stevenson & Osbourne: It was in these circumstances that, with all brevity of speech
and a certain boyish sullenness of manner, looking the while
upon the floor, I informed my relatives of my financial
situation: the amount I owed Pinkerton; the hopelessness of
any maintenance from sculpture; the career offered me in the
States; and how, before becoming more beholden to a stranger,
I had judged it right to lay the case before my family.
"I am only sorry you did not come to me at first," said Uncle
Adam. "I take the liberty to say it would have been more
decent."
"I think so too, Uncle Adam," I replied; "but you must bear in
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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 Under the Red Robe by Stanley Weyman: done with it, and succeed, and stuff my ears and begone from the
scene. When she presently came to the verge of the beech wood,
and, entering a little open clearing, seemed to loiter, I went
cautiously. This, I thought, must be the rendezvous; and I held
back warily, looking to see him step out of the thicket.
But he did not, and by-and-by she quickened her pace. She
crossed the open and entered a wide ride cut through a low, dense
wood of alder and dwarf oak--a wood so closely planted and so
intertwined with hazel and elder and box that the branches rose
like a solid wall, twelve feet high, on either side of the track.
Down this she passed, and I stood and watched her go, for I dared
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