| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tattine by Ruth Ogden [Mrs. Charles W. Ide]: "Yes, Tattine; Tadjie would. She was trained to hunt before ever she was given
to Papa, and so were her ancestors before her. That is why Doctor and Betsy,
who have never been trained to hunt, go wild over the rabbits. They have
inherited the taste."
"Trained to hunt," said Tattine thoughtfully. "Do you mean that men just went
to work to teach them to be so cruel?"
"Well, I suppose in a way setters are natural hunters, Tattine, but then their
training has doubtless a great deal to do with it, but I want to tell you
something that I think will give you just a grain of comfort. I read the other
day that Sir John Franklin, the great Arctic explorer, who almost lost his
life in being attacked by some huge animal--it must have been a bear, I
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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 Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: when the new affair was laid before me that the one we had settled on
must infallibly go by the board. Consequently, I've tried to work it
round in our interests, yours and mine."
"Ah ca! do you mean they are pulling caps for this Theodose? Who is
the new match? Has she money?"
"The 'dot' is pretty good; quite as much as Mademoiselle
Colleville's."
"Then I wouldn't give a fig for it. La Peyrade has signed those notes
and he will pay them."
"Will he pay them? that's the question. You are not a business man,
neither is Theodose; it may come into his head to dispute the validity
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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 Tattine by Ruth Ogden [Mrs. Charles W. Ide]: had one of your own, wait till you read about this one of Tattine's, and then
give your dear Mamma no peace until you have had one, either in your kitchen
in town, or in the woods out of town, which is better. One thing is necessary
to its complete enjoyment, however: you must have a "sweet tooth," but as most
little people cut that particular tooth very early, probably you are among the
fortunate number.
"Well, I don't see what we are sitting here for," said Mabel at last.
"Neithet do I," said Tattine; "I was only giving you a chance to get a little
breath. You did not seem to have much left."
"No more we had," laughed Rudolph, who was still taking little swallows and
drawing an occasional long breath, as people do when they have been exercising
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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 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne: but the subject represented is taken from a legend, and you know
what to think of legends in the matter of natural history.
Besides, when it is a question of monsters, the imagination
is apt to run wild. Not only is it supposed that these poulps
can draw down vessels, but a certain Olaus Magnus speaks of an
octopus a mile long that is more like an island than an animal.
It is also said that the Bishop of Nidros was building
an altar on an immense rock. Mass finished, the rock began
to walk, and returned to the sea. The rock was a poulp.
Another Bishop, Pontoppidan, speaks also of a poulp on which
a regiment of cavalry could manoeuvre. Lastly, the ancient
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea |
