| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Psychology of Revolution by Gustave le Bon: would appear as a cruel and narrow and abominable monster, more
horrible than the bloodiest tyrants of history.
This impulsive and ferocious people has always been easily
dominated so soon as a strong power has opposed it. If its
violence is unlimited, so is its servility. All the despotisms
have had it for their servant. The Caesars are certain of
being acclaimed by it, whether they are named Caligula, Nero,
Marat, Robespierre, or Boulanger.
Beside these destructive hordes whose action during revolution is
capital, there exists, as we have already remarked, the mass of
the true people, which asks only the right to labour. It
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Falk by Joseph Conrad: of pine wood. Suddenly he threw the piece of wood
away, tottered to the rail, and fell over. Falk, too
late to prevent the act, saw him claw the ship's
side desperately before he went down. Next day
another man did the same thing, after uttering hor-
rible imprecations. But this one somehow man-
aged to get hold of the broken rudder chains and
hung on there, silently. Falk set about trying to
save him, and all the time the man, holding with
both hands, looked at him anxiously with his sunken
eyes. Then, just as Falk was ready to put his hand
Falk |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Wyoming by William MacLeod Raine: "Is isn't healthy."
"What do you mean?"
Again that anxious look flashed round in the dusk. "The Bannister
outfit is the worst in the land. Ned Bannister is king of the
whole Big Horn country and beyond that to the Tetons."
"And you mean to tell me that everybody is afraid of him--that
men like Mr. Sothern dare not say their soul is their own?" the
newcomer asked, contemptuously.
"Not so loud, child. He has spies everywhere That's the trouble.
You don't know who is in with him. He's got the whole region
terrified."
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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 Moon-Face and Other Stories by Jack London: telegram which probably was the means of preventing an anarchist crank from
taking my employer's life. We captured the man on his arrival and turned him
over to the police, who found upon him enough of a new and powerful explosive
to sink a battleship.
We persisted. Mr. Hale was grit clear through. He disbursed at the rate of one
hundred thousand per week for secret service. The aid of the Pinkertons and of
countless private detective agencies was called in, and in addition to this
thousands were upon our payroll. Our agents swarmed everywhere, in all guises,
penetrating all classes of society. They grasped at a myriad clues; hundreds
of suspects were jailed, and at various times thousands of suspicious persons
were under surveillance, but nothing tangible came to light. With its
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