| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Ann Veronica by H. G. Wells: readily, and in order to say something she plunged a little, and
felt she plunged. Capes scored back with an uncompromising vigor
that was his way of complimenting her intelligence. But this
afternoon it discovered an unusual vein of irritability in her.
He had been reading Belfort Bax, and declared himself a convert.
He contrasted the lot of women in general with the lot of men,
presented men as patient, self-immolating martyrs, and women as
the pampered favorites of Nature. A vein of conviction mingled
with his burlesque.
For a time he and Miss Klegg contradicted one another.
The question ceased to be a tea-table talk, and became suddenly
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, etc. by Oscar Wilde: Green with handsome Jack Castleton, declaring that nothing in the
world would induce her to marry into a family that allowed such a
horrible phantom to walk up and down the terrace at twilight. Poor
Jack was afterwards shot in a duel by Lord Canterville on
Wandsworth Common, and Lady Barbara died of a broken heart at
Tunbridge Wells before the year was out, so, in every way, it had
been a great success. It was, however, an extremely difficult
'make-up,' if I may use such a theatrical expression in connection
with one of the greatest mysteries of the supernatural, or, to
employ a more scientific term, the higher-natural world, and it
took him fully three hours to make his preparations. At last
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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 Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen: was soon done.--The horses which were left her by her husband
had been sold soon after his death, and an opportunity
now offering of disposing of her carriage, she agreed
to sell that likewise at the earnest advice of her
eldest daughter. For the comfort of her children, had she
consulted only her own wishes, she would have kept it;
but the discretion of Elinor prevailed. HER wisdom
too limited the number of their servants to three;
two maids and a man, with whom they were speedily provided
from amongst those who had formed their establishment
at Norland.
Sense and Sensibility |
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 Beast in the Jungle by Henry James: pressed again; in her presence he had believed her, but as he felt
his forlornness he threw himself into the explanation that, nearest
at hand, had most of a miserable warmth for him and least of a cold
torment. She had deceived him to save him--to put him off with
something in which he should be able to rest. What could the thing
that was to happen to him be, after all, but just this thing that
had began to happen? Her dying, her death, his consequent
solitude--that was what he had figured as the Beast in the Jungle,
that was what had been in the lap of the gods. He had had her word
for it as he left her--what else on earth could she have meant? It
wasn't a thing of a monstrous order; not a fate rare and
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