| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: headland that looked on, patient and lonely, watching over the
empty sea.
Almayer never moved. Round the little islet the air was full of
the talk of the rippling water. The crested wavelets ran up the
beach audaciously, joyously, with the lightness of young life,
and died quickly, unresistingly, and graciously, in the wide
curves of transparent foam on the yellow sand. Above, the white
clouds sailed rapidly southwards as if intent upon overtaking
something. Ali seemed anxious.
"Master," he said timidly, "time to get house now. Long way off
to pull. All ready, sir."
Almayer's Folly |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Princess of Parms by Edgar Rice Burroughs: In a moment the entire palace was alive with people.
Guardsmen, officers, courtiers, servants, and slaves ran
helter-skelter through the corridors and apartments carrying
messages and orders, and searching for signs of the assassin.
This was my opportunity and slim as it appeared I grasped it,
for as a number of soldiers came hurrying past my hiding place
I fell in behind them and followed through the mazes of the
palace until, in passing through a great hall, I saw the blessed
light of day coming in through a series of larger windows.
Here I left my guides, and, slipping to the nearest window,
sought for an avenue of escape. The windows opened
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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 Travels with a Donkey in the Cevenne by Robert Louis Stevenson: consideration. Untrusty guardians for an isolated priest!
That these continual stirs were once busy in St. Germain de
Calberte, the imagination with difficulty receives; all is now so
quiet, the pulse of human life now beats so low and still in this
hamlet of the mountains. Boys followed me a great way off, like a
timid sort of lion-hunters; and people turned round to have a
second look, or came out of their houses, as I went by. My passage
was the first event, you would have fancied, since the Camisards.
There was nothing rude or forward in this observation; it was but a
pleased and wondering scrutiny, like that of oxen or the human
infant; yet it wearied my spirits, and soon drove me from the
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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 Lay Morals by Robert Louis Stevenson: clearly perceive that he smiled upon her very kindly. 'There
spoke a sweet nature,' said he, 'and I must thank you for
these words. But I would not have you fancy that I regret
the past for any happiness found in it, or that I fear the
simplicity and hardship of the country. I am a man that has
been much tossed about in life; now up, now down; and do you
think that I shall not be able to support what you support -
you who are kind, and therefore know how to feel pain; who
are beautiful, and therefore hope; who are young, and
therefore (or am I the more mistaken?) discontented?'
'Nay, sir, not that, at least,' said Nance; 'not
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