| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: painted on his countenance, the worthy captain plainly perceived
that something new was on foot.
All the way along D'Artagnan had been consulting with himself
whether he should place confidence in M. de Treville, or whether
he should only ask him to give him CARTE BLANCHE for some secret
affair. But M. de Treville had always been so thoroughly his
friend, had always been so devoted to the king and queen, and
hated the cardinal so cordially, that the young man resolved to
tell him everything.
"Did you ask for me, my good friend?" said M. de Treville.
'Yes, monsieur," said D'Artagnan, lowering his voice, "than the
The Three Musketeers |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: everything was superb and delicious.
"Splendid, splendid!" he said, lighting a fat cigar after the
roast. "I feel as if, coming to you, I had landed on a peaceful
shore after the noise and jolting of a steamer. And so you
maintain that the laborer himself is an element to be studied and
to regulate the choice of methods in agriculture. Of course, I'm
an ignorant outsider; but I should fancy theory and its
application will have its influence on the laborer too."
"Yes, but wait a bit. I'm not talking of political economy, I'm
talking of the science of agriculture. It ought to be like the
natural sceinces, and to observe given phenomena and the laborer
Anna Karenina |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Tom Sawyer, Detective by Mark Twain: watermelon-patch and et one, and had a good deal of talk.
And Tom said he'd bet the quarreling was all Jubiter's fault,
and he was going to be on hand the first time he got
a chance, and see; and if it was so, he was going to do
his level best to get Uncle Silas to turn him off.
And so we talked and smoked and stuffed watermelons much
as two hours, and then it was pretty late, and when we
got back the house was quiet and dark, and everybody
gone to bed.
Tom he always seen everything, and now he see that the
old green baize work-gown was gone, and said it wasn't
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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 Baby Mine by Margaret Mayo: For an instant the startled Zoie gazed at him stupefied.
"Why, I--I----" Her eyes sought Aggie's for a suggestion; there
was no answer there. It was not until her gaze fell upon the
cradle that she was seized by the desired inspiration.
"I just got up to see baby," she faltered, then putting one hand
giddily to her head, she pretended to sway.
In an instant Alfred's arms were about her. He bore her quickly
to the bed. "You stay here, my darling," he said tenderly.
"I'll bring baby to you," and after a solicitous caress he turned
toward baby's crib and bent fondly over the little one. "Ah,
there's father's man," he said. "Was he lonesome baby? Oh,
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