| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: steadfast faith.
"Jim, it strikes me you'd be more likely to impress these Indians Colonel Zane
spoke of if you'd get a suit like mine and wear a knife and tomahawk,"
interposed Joe, cheerfully. "Then, if you couldn't convert, you could scalp
them."
"Well, well, let us hope for the best," said Colonel Zane, when the laughter
had subsided. "We'll go over to dinner now. Come, all of you. Jonathan, bring
Wetzel. Betty, make him come, if you can."
As the party slowly wended its way toward the colonel's cabin Jim and Nell
found themselves side by side. They had not exchanged a word since the evening
previous, when Jim had kissed her. Unable to look at each other now, and
The Spirit of the Border |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Pupil by Henry James: to Morgan that he might abuse him, Pemberton, as much as he liked,
but must never abuse his parents. To this Morgan had the easy
retort that he hadn't dreamed of abusing them; which appeared to be
true: it put Pemberton in the wrong.
"Then why am I a humbug for saying I think them charming?" the
young man asked, conscious of a certain rashness.
"Well - they're not your parents."
"They love you better than anything in the world - never forget
that," said Pemberton.
"Is that why you like them so much?"
"They're very kind to me," Pemberton replied evasively.
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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 Criminal Sociology by Enrico Ferri: their preference for acquittal, is, indeed, a psychological law.
Moreover, it is well known that if there is in Europe a penal code
less mild than any of the rest, it is that of France, which is the
oldest of those now in force, and still retains much of the
military rigour of its origin. And it must be added that for
certain crimes, as for rapes and indecent assaults, which are
nevertheless constantly increasing in France, the punishments have
been increased by several successive enactments. The same is true
of extortion by threats of exposure, which occurs more and more
frequently, as M. Joly also observes, in spite of the severe
punishments of the law of 1863.
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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 The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe: as his best, and indeed his only personal friend, with a view of
attempting, by the cheerfulness of my society, some alleviation
of his malady. It was the manner in which all this, and much
more, was said--it was the apparent heart that went with his
request--which allowed me no room for hesitation; and I
accordingly obeyed forthwith what I still considered a very
singular summons.
Although, as boys, we had been even intimate associates, yet
I really knew little of my friend. His reserve had been always
excessive and habitual. I was aware, however, that his very
ancient family had been noted, time out of mind, for a peculiar
The Fall of the House of Usher |
