| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Crowd by Gustave le Bon: This very fact that crowds possess in common ordinary qualities
explains why they can never accomplish acts demanding a high
degree of intelligence. The decisions affecting matters of
general interest come to by an assembly of men of distinction,
but specialists in different walks of life, are not sensibly
superior to the decisions that would be adopted by a gathering of
imbeciles. The truth is, they can only bring to bear in common
on the work in hand those mediocre qualities which are the
birthright of every average individual. In crowds it is
stupidity and not mother-wit that is accumulated. It is not all
the world, as is so often repeated, that has more wit than
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley: And he has not been the least sick, I hear.
Not a bit: but the cabin was so stuffy and hot, I asked leave to
come on deck. What a huge steamer! But I do not like it as well
as the yacht. It smells of oil and steam, and -
And pigs and bullocks too, I am sorry to say. Don't go forward
above them, but stay here with me, and look round.
Where are we now? What are those high hills, far away to the
left, above the lowlands and woods?
Those are the shore of the Old World--the Welsh mountains.
And in front of us I can see nothing but flat land. Where is
that?
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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 Master of the World by Jules Verne: from an eruption or possible earthquake at Great Eyrie. While now, on
every road of the United States, or along every league of its coasts
and harbors, every inhabitant was in danger from this vehicle or this
boat, with its sudden appearance and insane speed.
I found that, as was to be expected, the newspapers not only
suggested, but enlarged upon the dangers of the case. Timid people
everywhere were much alarmed. My old servant, naturally credulous and
superstitious, was particularly upset. That same day after dinner, as
she was clearing away the things, she stopped before me, a water
bottle in one hand, the serviette in the other, and asked anxiously,
"Is there no news, sir?"
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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 Paz by Honore de Balzac: dominoes--Paz is everywhere. I hear of nothing but Paz, but I never
see Paz. Who and what is Paz? Why don't you bring forth your Paz?"
"Isn't everything going on right?" asked the count, taking the
"bocchettino" of his narghile from his lips.
"Everything is going on so right that other people with an income of
two hundred thousand francs would ruin themselves by going at our
pace, and we have only one hundred and ten thousand."
So saying she pulled the bell-cord (an exquisite bit of needlework). A
footman entered, dressed like a minister.
"Tell Captain Paz that I wish to see him."
"If you think you are going to find out anything that way--" said
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