| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Under the Andes by Rex Stout: deliverance and gives no thought to the means.
That was reaction, and gradually it lessened. And when, after
we had lain unconscious for many hours (we can hardly be said to
have slept) they came to bathe our wounds and bruises and bring us
food and drink, the water was actually grateful to our hot,
suffering flesh, and we ate almost with relish. But before they
left they again bound our wrists firmly behind us, and tightened
the cords on our ankles.
If they meditated punishment they certainly seemed to be in no
hurry about it. The hours passed endlessly by. We were cared for
as tenderly as though we had been wounded comrades instead of
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Bride of Lammermoor by Walter Scott: --- comes to-morrow, and a' will be remedied."
"You have no longer a master, Caleb," said Ravenswood,
endeavouring to extricate himself; "why, old man, would you cling
to a falling tower?"
"But I HAVE a master," cried Caleb, still holding him fast,
"while the heir of Ravenswood breathes. I am but a
servant; but I was born your father's--your grandfather's
servant. I was born for the family--I have lived for them--I
would die for them! Stay but at home, and all will be well!"
"Well, fool! well!" said Ravenswood. "Vain old man, nothing
hereafter in life will be well with me, and happiest is the hour
The Bride of Lammermoor |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Wheels of Chance by H. G. Wells: Petworth, posing himself perpetually and loitering, gathering
wild flowers and wondering why they had no names--for he had
never heard of any--dropping them furtively at the sight of a
stranger, and generally 'mucking about.' There were purple
vetches in the hedges, meadowsweet, honeysuckle, belated
brambles--but the dog-roses had already gone; there were green
and red blackberries, stellarias, and dandelions, and in another
place white dead nettles, traveller's-joy, clinging bedstraw,
grasses flowering, white campions, and ragged robins. One
cornfield was glorious with poppies, bright scarlet and purple
white, and the blue corn-flowers were beginning. In the lanes the
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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 Enemies of Books by William Blades: in the fire which devastated the Church in 1862, the books
which escaped were sadly injured. Not long before I had spent
some hours there hunting for English Fifteenth-century Books,
and shall never forget the state of dirt in which I came away.
Without anyone to care for them, the books had remained untouched for
many a decade-damp dust, half an inch thick, having settled upon them!
Then came the fire, and while the roof was all ablaze streams
of hot water, like a boiling deluge, washed down upon them.
The wonder was they were not turned into a muddy pulp.
After all was over, the whole of the library, no portion of which
could legally be given away, was _lent for ever_ to the Corporation
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