| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Mirror of the Sea by Joseph Conrad: I repeat, though, indeed, I think I have known ships who really
seemed to have had eyes, or else I cannot understand on what ground
a certain 1,000-ton barque of my acquaintance on one particular
occasion refused to answer her helm, thereby saving a frightful
smash to two ships and to a very good man's reputation. I knew her
intimately for two years, and in no other instance either before or
since have I known her to do that thing. The man she had served so
well (guessing, perhaps, at the depths of his affection for her) I
have known much longer, and in bare justice to him I must say that
this confidence-shattering experience (though so fortunate) only
augmented his trust in her. Yes, our ships have no ears, and thus
The Mirror of the Sea |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde: ALGERNON. [Raising his hat.] You are my little cousin Cecily, I'm
sure.
CECILY. You are under some strange mistake. I am not little. In
fact, I believe I am more than usually tall for my age. [ALGERNON
is rather taken aback.] But I am your cousin Cecily. You, I see
from your card, are Uncle Jack's brother, my cousin Ernest, my
wicked cousin Ernest.
ALGERNON. Oh! I am not really wicked at all, cousin Cecily. You
mustn't think that I am wicked.
CECILY. If you are not, then you have certainly been deceiving us
all in a very inexcusable manner. I hope you have not been leading
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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 Last War: A World Set Free by H. G. Wells: atomic bombs? Nobody. Certain hanging if he's caught--certain,
and almost certain blowing up if he isn't. But nowadays I have to
take orders like the rest of the world. And here I am.'
The king thought he had never met such detestable geniality. He
glanced at Pestovitch, who nodded almost imperceptibly. It was
well, anyhow, to have a fool to deal with. They might have sent a
diplomatist. 'Of course,' said the king, 'I recognise the
overpowering force--and a kind of logic--in these orders from
Brissago.'
'I knew you would,' said the ex-king, with an air of relief, 'and
so let us arrange----'
The Last War: A World Set Free |
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 A Distinguished Provincial at Paris by Honore de Balzac: life of Catholicism, contrasted with sombre Calvinistic figures on a
background of the times when passions ran higher than at any other
period of our history.
"Every epoch which has left authentic records since the time of
Charles the Great calls for at least one romance. Some require four or
five; the periods of Louis XIV., of Henry IV., of Francis I., for
instance. You would give us in this way a picturesque history of
France, with the costumes and furniture, the houses and their
interiors, and domestic life, giving us the spirit of the time instead
of a laborious narration of ascertained facts. Then there is further
scope for originality. You can remove some of the popular delusions
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