| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs: Chapter 7
The Light of Knowledge
After what seemed an eternity to the little sufferer he was
able to walk once more, and from then on his recovery
was so rapid that in another month he was as strong and
active as ever.
During his convalescence he had gone over in his mind
many times the battle with the gorilla, and his first thought
was to recover the wonderful little weapon which had transformed
him from a hopelessly outclassed weakling to the superior
of the mighty terror of the jungle.
Tarzan of the Apes |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Falk by Joseph Conrad: would come of it. It was the same last year when
Captain Hermann was loading here, he said.
Naturally, I did not believe Schomberg, but I
own that for a time I observed closely what went
on. All I discovered was some impatience on Her-
mann's part. At the sight of Falk, stepping over
the gangway, the excellent man would begin to
mumble and chew between his teeth something that
sounded like German swear-words. However, as
I've said, I'm not familiar with the language, and
Hermann's soft, round-eyed countenance remained
Falk |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Massimilla Doni by Honore de Balzac: heartbreaking contradictions. The hapless youth mourned for Venice as
she had been,--as did Vendramini, even more bitterly, for it was a
great and common sorrow, a similar destiny, that had engendered such a
warm friendship between these two young men, the wreckage of two
illustrious families.
Emilio could not help dreaming of a time when the palazzo Memmi poured
out light from every window, and rang with music carried far away over
the Adriatic tide; when hundreds of gondolas might be seen tied up to
its mooring-posts, while graceful masked figures and the magnates of
the Republic crowded up the steps kissed by the waters; when its halls
and gallery were full of a throng of intriguers or their dupes; when
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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 Wrong Box by Stevenson & Osbourne: 'O what adorable cream tarts!' said Julia, opening the bag, 'and
the dearest little cherry tartlets, with all the cherries spilled
out into the cream!'
'Yes,' said Gideon, concealing his dismay, 'I knew they would mix
beautifully; the woman behind the counter told me so.'
'Now,' said Julia, as they began their little festival, 'I am
going to show you Morris's letter; read it aloud, please; perhaps
there's something I have missed.'
Gideon took the letter, and spreading it out on his knee, read as
follows:
DEAR JULIA, I write you from Browndean, where we are stopping
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