| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Christ in Flanders by Honore de Balzac: quest of a seat. They were all poor people there. At first sight of
the bareheaded man in the brown camlet coat and trunk-hose, and plain
stiff linen collar, they noticed that he wore no ornaments, carried no
cap nor bonnet in his hand, and had neither sword nor purse at his
girdle, and one and all took him for a burgomaster sure of his
authority, a worthy and kindly burgomaster like so many a Fleming of
old times, whose homely features and characters have been immortalized
by Flemish painters. The poorer passengers, therefore, received him
with demonstrations of respect that provoked scornful tittering at the
other end of the boat. An old soldier, inured to toil and hardship,
gave up his place on the bench to the newcomer, and seated himself on
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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 Wrong Box by Stevenson & Osbourne: 'Well, I've lost it too, my son,' said Michael, with extreme
serenity. 'Not recognizing it, you see, and suspecting something
irregular in its origin, I got rid of--what shall we say?--got
rid of the proceeds at once.'
'You got rid of the body? What made you do that?' walled Morris.
'But you can get it again? You know where it is?'
'I wish I did, Morris, and you may believe me there, for it would
be a small sum in my pocket; but the fact is, I don't,' said
Michael.
'Good Lord,' said Morris, addressing heaven and earth, 'good
Lord, I've lost the leather business!'
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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 Virginibus Puerisque by Robert Louis Stevenson: another into dry and cloudy volumes without end, philosophy
has the honour of laying before us, with modest pride, her
contribution towards the subject: that life is a Permanent
Possibility of Sensation. Truly a fine result! A man may
very well love beef, or hunting, or a woman; but surely,
surely, not a Permanent Possibility of Sensation! He may be
afraid of a precipice, or a dentist, or a large enemy with a
club, or even an undertaker's man; but not certainly of
abstract death. We may trick with the word life in its dozen
senses until we are weary of tricking; we may argue in terms
of all the philosophies on earth, but one fact remains true
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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 Vision Splendid by William MacLeod Raine: did not care to take up the responsibilities that go with such a
position. She was too indolent to adapt her life to the standards
of others--and perhaps too proud. Moreover, it happened that she
had had enough of the club man type in the late lamented Van Tyle.
This man was a worker. He would not annoy her or interfere with
her careless pleasures. Again she asked herself, Why not?
"I suppose you really do like me." Her face was tilted in gay
little appeal.
"I'm not going to tell you how much. It wouldn't be good for
discipline in the house."
Her soft little laugh bubbled over. "We seem to have quite settled
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