| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Woman and Labour by Olive Schreiner: perhaps being taken from its context it was not quite clear to every one.)
I had also tried throughout to illustrate the subject with exactly those
particular facts in the animal and human world, with which I had come into
personal contact and which had helped to form the conclusions which were
given; as it has always seemed to me that in dealing with sociological
questions a knowledge of the exact manner in which any writer has arrived
at his view is necessary in measuring its worth. The work had occupied a
large part of my life, and I had hoped, whatever its deficiencies, that it
might at least stimulate other minds, perhaps more happily situated, to an
enlarged study of the question.
In 1899 I was living in Johannesburg, when, owing to ill-health, I was
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: "If God spares Beth, I never will complain again," whispered
Meg earnestly.
"If god spares Beth, I'll try to love and serve Him all my
life," answered Jo, with equal fervor.
"I wish I had no heart, it aches so," sighed Meg, after a pause.
"If life is often as hard as this, I don't see how we ever
shall get through it," added her sister despondently.
Here the clock struck twelve, and both forgot themselves in
watching Beth, for they fancied a change passed over her wan face.
The house was still as death, and nothing but the wailing of the
wind broke the deep hush. Weary Hannah slept on, and no one but
Little Women |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Man in Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart: night-shirts."
"Any buttons off?" McKnight inquired, looking again at his watch.
"The buttons were there," the amateur detective answered gravely,
"but the buttonhole next the top one was torn through."
McKnight winked at me furtively.
"I am convinced of one thing," Hotchkiss went on, clearing his
throat, "the papers are not in that room. Either he carries them
with him, or he has sold them."
A sound on the street made both my visitors listen sharply. Whatever
it was it passed on, however. I was growing curious and the
restraint was telling on McKnight. He has no talent for secrecy.
The Man in Lower Ten |
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 Arizona Nights by Stewart Edward White: lion squallin' in it."
I slid down to him at once, and we drew our six-shooters and went
up to the cave openin', right under the rim-rock. There, sure
enough, were fresh lion tracks, and we could hear a little faint
cryin' like woman.
"First chance," claims Larry, and dropped to his hands and knees
at the entrance.
"Well, damn me!" he cries, and crawls in at once, payin' no
attention to me tellin' him to be more cautious. In a minute he
backs out, carryin' a three-year-old goat.
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