| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs:
From the city the red warriors were rushing toward us, and from
the jungle the savage horde of green men were coming to meet them.
In a moment I was in the very center of as fierce and bloody a
battle as I had ever passed through.
These Kaolians are most noble fighters, nor are the green men
of the equator one whit less warlike than their cold, cruel cousins
of the temperate zone. There were many times when either side
might have withdrawn without dishonor and thus ended hostilities,
but from the mad abandon with which each invariably renewed
The Warlord of Mars |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from In the Cage by Henry James: down. She maintained her fixed smile a moment and turned her eyes
over the peopled darkness, unconfused now, because there was
something much more confusing. This, with a fatal great rush, was
simply the fact that they were thus together. They were near,
near, and all she had imagined of that had only become more true,
more dreadful and overwhelming. She stared straight away in
silence till she felt she looked an idiot; then, to say something,
to say nothing, she attempted a sound which ended in a flood of
tears.
CHAPTER XVI
Her tears helped her really to dissimulate, for she had instantly,
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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 The Wheels of Chance by H. G. Wells: district," said Hoopdriver, quite modestly. "But I've seen them,
of course. Once or twice."
"Fancy seeing a lion! Weren't you frightened?"
Mr. Hoopdriver was now thoroughly sorry he had accepted that
offer of South Africa. He puffed his cigarette and regarded the
Solent languidly as he settled the fate on that lion in his mind.
"I scarcely had time," he said. "It all happened in a minute."
"Go on," she said.
"I was going across the inner paddock where the fatted ostriches
were."
"Did you EAT ostriches, then? I did not know--"
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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 Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: was grieved that they wept so sadly, and all she could say could not
make them happy; till at last she said,--
"Do not weep, and I will go to Queen Dew-Drop, and beseech her
to let you come back. I will tell her that you are repentant,
and will do anything to gain her love again; that you are sad, and
long to be forgiven. This will I say, and more, and trust she will
grant my prayer."
"She will not say no to you, dear Bud," said the poor little Fairies;
"she will love you as we do, and if we can but come again to our lost
home, we cannot give you thanks enough. Go, Bud, and if there be
power in Fairy gifts, you shall be as happy as our hearts' best love
Flower Fables |
