| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Mountains by Stewart Edward White: plunged down the zigzag lacets of the other side.
That night we camped at Mono Canon, feeling ourselves
strangely an integral part of the relief map we
had looked upon so many times that almost we had
come to consider its features as in miniature, not
capacious for the accommodation of life-sized men.
Here we remained a day while we rode the hills in
search of Dinkey and Jenny, there pastured.
We found Jenny peaceful and inclined to be corralled.
But Dinkey, followed by a slavishly adoring
brindle mule, declined to be rounded up. We chased
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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 Mirror of the Sea by Joseph Conrad: austere accent of the man in charge, till, again, when the hatches
are on, and in a silent and expectant ship, he shall speak up from
aft in commanding tones: "Man the windlass!"
VII.
The other year, looking through a newspaper of sound principles,
but whose staff WILL persist in "casting" anchors and going to sea
"on" a ship (ough!), I came across an article upon the season's
yachting. And, behold! it was a good article. To a man who had
but little to do with pleasure sailing (though all sailing is a
pleasure), and certainly nothing whatever with racing in open
waters, the writer's strictures upon the handicapping of yachts
The Mirror of the Sea |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy: "Yes. But pray take a scat," said the officer. Nekhludoff sat
down.
"She is not a political one, but at my request she has been
allowed by the higher authorities to join the political
prisoners--"
"Oh, yes, I know," interrupted the other; "a little dark one?
Well, yes, that can be managed. Won't you smoke?" He moved a box
of cigarettes towards Nekhludoff, and, having carefully poured
out two tumblers of tea, he passed one to Nekhludoff. "If you
please," he said.
"Thank you; I should like to see--"
Resurrection |
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 $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories by Mark Twain: boldly into my room," when she had neglected her "duty" and put
no food on the window-sill for them; she knew all the wild birds,
and forgets the royal crown on her head to remember with pride
that they knew her; also that the wasp and the bee were personal
friends of hers, and never forgot that gracious relationship
to her injury: "never have I been stung by a wasp or a bee."
And here is that proud note again that sings in that little child's
elation in being singled out, among all the company of children,
for the random dog's honor-conferring attentions. "Even in the very
worst summer for wasps, when, in lunching out of doors, our table
was covered with them and every one else was stung, they never
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