| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Dynamiter by Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Van De Grift Stevenson: 'Oh, nothing,' returned the other: 'only I once met a person
called M'Guire.'
'So did I!' cried Somerset. 'Is there anything about him?'
Challoner read as follows: 'MYSTERIOUS DEATH IN STEPNEY. An
inquest was held yesterday on the body of Patrick M'Guire,
described as a carpenter. Doctor Dovering stated that he had
for some time treated the deceased as a dispensary patient,
for sleeplessness, loss of appetite, and nervous depression.
There was no cause of death to be found. He would say the
deceased had sunk. Deceased was not a temperate man, which
doubtless accelerated death. Deceased complained of dumb
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs: warning? Never before had Tarzan known Sheeta to be so clumsy.
No, the white man did not hear. Sheeta was crouching for
the spring, and then, shrill and horrible, there rose from the
stillness of the jungle the awful cry of the challenging ape,
and Sheeta turned, crashing into the underbrush.
Clayton came to his feet with a start. His blood ran cold.
Never in all his life had so fearful a sound smote upon his
ears. He was no coward; but if ever man felt the icy fingers
of fear upon his heart, William Cecil Clayton, eldest son of
Lord Greystoke of England, did that day in the fastness of
the African jungle.
Tarzan of the Apes |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Salome by Oscar Wilde: a danse pour moi, votre fille. Approchez, Salome! Approchez, afin
que je puisse vous donner votre salaire. Ah! je paie bien les
danseuses, moi. Toi, je te paierai bien. Je te donnerai tout ce
que tu voudras. Que veux-tu, dis?
SALOME [s'agenouillant] Je veux qu'on m'apporte presentement dans un
bassin d'argent . . .
HERODE [riant] Dans un bassin d'argent? mais oui, dans un bassin
d'argent, certainement. Elle est charmante, n'est-ce pas? Qu'est-
ce que vous voulez qu'on vous apporte dans un bassin d'argent, ma
chere et belle Salome, vous qui etes la plus belle de toutes les
filles de Judee? Qu'est-ce que vous voulez qu'on vous apporte dans
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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 Deserted Woman by Honore de Balzac: before them stretched the broad sheet of water, never the same in its
fitful changes. All their surroundings seemed to dream for them, all
things smiled upon them.
Then weighty matters recalled M. de Nueil to France. His father and
brother died, and he was obliged to leave Geneva. The lovers bought
the house; and if they could have had their way, they would have
removed the hills piecemeal, drawn off the lake with a siphon, and
taken everything away with them.
Mme. de Beauseant followed M. de Nueil. She realized her property, and
bought a considerable estate near Manerville, adjoining Gaston's
lands, and here they lived together; Gaston very graciously giving up
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