| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Court Life in China by Isaac Taylor Headland: distance from her, with plenty of guards to protect us, or we may
be broiled in more senses than one." The chairman looked worried
at these suggestions, but still kept her dignity and her
equilibrium. Then a mild voice suggested that it was customary in
all audiences for those presented to courtesy to the one on the
throne. "Courtesy!" broke in an indignant voice, "it would be
more appropriate for her to prostrate herself at our feet and beg
us to forgive her for trying to shoot us, than for us to courtesy
to her." It was finally decided, however, that the same
formalities be observed as were followed by the ministers when
received at court. I give these incidents to show the temper that
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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 Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield: shallows, glided into sight and was gone again. The sky shone pale, and
one bird drifted high like a dark fleck in a jewel.
"We have examined our client's correspondence files..." The last sentence
he had read echoed in his mind. "We have examined ..." William hung on to
that sentence, but it was no good; it snapped in the middle, and the
fields, the sky, the sailing bird, the water, all said, "Isabel." The same
thing happened every Saturday afternoon. When he was on his way to meet
Isabel there began those countless imaginary meetings. She was at the
station, standing just a little apart from everybody else; she was sitting
in the open taxi outside; she was at the garden gate; walking across the
parched grass; at the door, or just inside the hall.
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