| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson: readiness and offered her my arm. Rowley followed behind. I was
beginning to grow accustomed to the risks of my stay in Edinburgh,
and it even amused me to confront a new churchful. I confess the
amusement did not last until the end; for if Dr. Gray were long,
Mr. McCraw was not only longer, but more incoherent, and the matter
of his sermon (which was a direct attack, apparently, on all the
Churches of the world, my own among the number), where it had not
the tonic quality of personal insult, rather inclined me to
slumber. But I braced myself for my life, kept up Rowley with the
end of a pin, and came through it awake, but no more.
Bethiah was quite conquered by this 'mark of grace,' though, I am
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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 Bickerstaff-Partridge Papers by Jonathan Swift: The French army acts now wholly on the defensive, strongly
fortify'd in their trenches; and the young French King sends
overtures for a treaty of peace by the Duke of Mantua; which,
because it is a matter of state that concerns us here at home, I
shall speak no farther of it.
I shall add but one prediction more, and that in mystical terms,
which shall be included in a verse out of Virgil,
Alter erit jam Tethys, & altera quae vehat Argo.
Delectos heroas.
Upon the 25th day of this month, the fulfilling of this
prediction will be manifest to every body.
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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 Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini: the narrower lane that led in the direction of Lupton House. By the
gates of this he paused, recalled out of his abstraction and rendered
aware of whither his steps had led him by the sight of the hall door
standing open, a black figure silhouetted against the light behind it.
What was happening here? Why were they not abed like all decent folk?
The figure called to him in a quavering voice. "Mr. Wilding! Mr.
Wilding!" for the light beating upon his face and figure from the open
door had revealed him. The form came swiftly forward, its steps
pattering down the walk, another slenderer figure surged in its place
upon the threshold, hovered there an instant, then plunged down into
the darkness to come after it. But the first was by now upon Mr.
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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 An Old Maid by Honore de Balzac: a current of ideas which harmonize with this poor little salon where
we have suffered so much."
"And where we shall still suffer, my poor Athanase, until your works
succeed. For myself, I am trained to poverty; but you, my treasure! to
see your youth go by without a joy! nothing but toil for my poor boy
in life! That thought is like an illness to a mother; it tortures me
at night; it wakes me in the morning. O God! what have I done? for
what crime dost thou punish me thus?"
She left her sofa, took a little chair, and sat close to Athanase, so
as to lay her head on the bosom of her child. There is always the
grace of love in true motherhood. Athanase kissed her on the eyes, on
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