| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: leddie's leave, I wad fain take down Eishie's skeps o' bees, and
set them in Grace's bit flower yard at the Heugh-foot--they shall
ne'er be smeekit by ony o' huz. And the puir goat, she would be
negleckit about a great toun like this; and she could feed
bonnily on our lily lea by the burn side, and the hounds wad ken
her in a day's time, and never fash her, and Grace wad milk her
ilka morning wi' her ain hand, for Elshie's sake; for though he
was thrawn and cankered in his converse, he likeit dumb creatures
weel."
Hobbie's requests were readily granted, not without some wonder
at the natural delicacy of feeling which pointed out to him this
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Off on a Comet by Jules Verne: to him it was indispensable that the earth should remain in sight,
and it was his great consolation that hitherto his native sphere
had never vanished from his gaze.
At this date Saturn was revolving at a distance of 420,000,000
miles from Gallia, and consequently 874,440,000 miles
from the sun, receiving only a hundredth part of the light
and heat which that luminary bestows upon the earth.
On consulting their books of reference, the colonists found
that Saturn completes his revolution round the sun in a period
of 29 years and 167 days, traveling at the rate of more than
21,000 miles an hour along an orbit measuring 5,490 millions
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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 The Enchanted Island of Yew by L. Frank Baum: in amazement at the thought of being forever separated from each other.
"I can also work the spell upon all the twin animals," said the
prince, after a moment's hesitation.
"And all our houses are built double, with twin doors and windows and
chimneys, to accommodate our twin people," continued the High Ki.
"And the trees and flowers--and even the blades of grass--are all
double. And our roads are double, and--and everything else is double.
I alone, the ruler of this land, am singular!"
Prince Marvel became thoughtful now, for he did not know how to
separate trees and flowers, and it would be a tedious task to separate
the twin houses.
The Enchanted Island of Yew |
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 Desert Gold by Zane Grey: It would be a terrible thing to do, but if she did not awaken at
once-- No, he would fight the temptation. That would be more than
spunk. It would-- Suddenly an ugly green fly sailed low over Nell,
appeared about to alight on her. Noiselessly Dick stepped close to
the hammock bent under the tree, and with a sweep of his hand
chased the intruding fly away. But he found himself powerless to
straighten up. He was close to her--bending over her face--near the
sweet lips. The insolent, dreaming smile just parted them. Then he
thought he was lost. But she stirred--he feared she would awaken.
He had stepped back erect when she opened her eyes. They were
sleepy, yet surprised until she saw him. Then she was wide awake
Desert Gold |
