| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Pellucidar by Edgar Rice Burroughs: 'Nor will you ever," I responded, "for they have gone
to that place whence none ever returns." I then related
my adventure with these four.
We had come almost to the cliff-edge where Juag
should be awaiting us when we saw two men walking
rapidly toward the same spot from another direction.
They did not see us, nor did they see Juag, whom I
now discovered hiding behind a low bush close to the
verge of the precipice which drops into the sea at this
point. As quickly as possible, without exposing our-
selves too much to the enemy, we hastened forward
Pellucidar |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Firm of Nucingen by Honore de Balzac: procureur-syndics used to traffic in them. So much for the sense of
our legislator and his driveling philanthropy. The encouragement given
to savings banks is a piece of crass political folly. Suppose that
things take a doubtful turn and people lose confidence, the Government
will find that they have instituted a queue for money, like the queues
outside the bakers' shops. So many savings banks, so many riots. Three
street boys hoist a flag in some corner or other, and you have a
revolution ready made.
"But this danger, however great it may be, seems to me less to be
dreaded than the widespread demoralization. Savings banks are a means
of inoculating the people, the classes least restrained by education
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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 Talisman by Walter Scott: attended upon the Queen, whose weak temperament showed her sorrow
in violent hysterical ecstasies and passionate hypochondriacal
effusions, in the course of which Edith sedulously and even
affectionately attended her.
"It is impossible she can have loved this knight," said Florise
to Calista, her senior in attendance upon the Queen's person.
"We have been mistaken; she is but sorry for his fate, as for a
stranger who has come to trouble on her account."
"Hush, hush," answered her more experienced and more observant
comrade; "she is of that proud house of Plantagenet who never own
that a hurt grieves them. While they have themselves been
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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 Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving: country gathering descried this well-known crest at a distance,
whisking about among a squad of hard riders, they always stood by
for a squall. Sometimes his crew would be heard dashing along
past the farmhouses at midnight, with whoop and halloo, like a
troop of Don Cossacks; and the old dames, startled out of their
sleep, would listen for a moment till the hurry-scurry had
clattered by, and then exclaim, "Ay, there goes Brom Bones
and his gang!" The neighbors looked upon him with a mixture
of awe, admiration, and good-will; and, when any madcap prank
or rustic brawl occurred in the vicinity, always shook their
heads, and warranted Brom Bones was at the bottom of it.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow |
