| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lin McLean by Owen Wister: of place; but you will relish now, I am convinced, the pithy fable of its
name.
Midway between two sections of this still unfinished line that, rail
after rail and mile upon mile, crawled over the earth's face visibly
during the constructing hours of each new day, lay a camp. To this point
these unjoined pieces were heading, and here at length they met. Camp
Separation it had been fitly called, but how should the American railway
man afford time to say that? Separation was pretty and apt, but needless;
and with the sloughing of two syllables came the brief, businesslike
result--Separ. Chicago, 1137-1/2 miles. It was labelled on a board large
almost as the hut station. A Y-switch, two sidings, the fat water-tank
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Phaedo by Plato: and foolish confidence, if he believes that he will fare better in the
world below than one who has led another sort of life, unless he can prove
this; and you say that the demonstration of the strength and divinity of
the soul, and of her existence prior to our becoming men, does not
necessarily imply her immortality. Admitting the soul to be longlived, and
to have known and done much in a former state, still she is not on that
account immortal; and her entrance into the human form may be a sort of
disease which is the beginning of dissolution, and may at last, after the
toils of life are over, end in that which is called death. And whether the
soul enters into the body once only or many times, does not, as you say,
make any difference in the fears of individuals. For any man, who is not
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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 Out of Time's Abyss by Edgar Rice Burroughs: the thing leaped upon the girl, its face working in hideous
grimaces as it clawed and beat at her to force her to the floor.
The Englishman was upon the point of entering to defend her when
a door at the opposite side of the chamber opened to admit a huge
Wieroo clothed entirely in red. At sight of the two struggling
upon the floor the newcomer raised his voice in a shriek of rage.
Instantly the Wieroo who was attacking the girl leaped to his
feet and faced the other.
"I heard," screamed he who had just entered the room. "I heard,
and when He Who Speaks for Lu-ata shall have heard--" He paused
and made a suggestive movement of a finger across his throat.
Out of Time's Abyss |
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 Dracula by Bram Stoker: of three days ago the Count sent her his spirit to read her mind.
Or more like he took her to see him in his earth box in the ship
with water rushing, just as it go free at rise and set of sun.
He learn then that we are here, for she have more to tell in her
open life with eyes to see ears to hear than he, shut as he is,
in his coffin box. Now he make his most effort to escape us.
At present he want her not.
"He is sure with his so great knowledge that she will come at his call.
But he cut her off, take her, as he can do, out of his own power,
that so she come not to him. Ah! There I have hope that our man brains
that have been of man so long and that have not lost the grace of God,
Dracula |
