| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Black Beauty by Anna Sewell: slippery with blood, and frequently had to turn aside to avoid trampling on
wounded man or horse, but, until one dreadful day, I had never felt terror;
that day I shall never forget."
Here old Captain paused for awhile and drew a long breath; I waited,
and he went on.
"It was one autumn morning, and as usual, an hour before daybreak our cavalry
had turned out, ready caparisoned for the day's work, whether it might be
fighting or waiting. The men stood by their horses waiting,
ready for orders. As the light increased there seemed to be some excitement
among the officers; and before the day was well begun we heard the firing
of the enemy's guns.
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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 Jolly Corner by Henry James: or in some recess - stepping back into shelter or shade, effacing
himself behind a door or in an embrasure, as he had sought of old
the vantage of rock and tree; he found himself holding his breath
and living in the joy of the instant, the supreme suspense created
by big game alone.
He wasn't afraid (though putting himself the question as he
believed gentlemen on Bengal tiger-shoots or in close quarters with
the great bear of the Rockies had been known to confess to having
put it); and this indeed - since here at least he might be frank! -
because of the impression, so intimate and so strange, that he
himself produced as yet a dread, produced certainly a strain,
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