| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Captain Stormfield by Mark Twain: afoot the rest of the day, and let my wings hang. Early next
morning I went to a private place to have some practice. I got up
on a pretty high rock, and got a good start, and went swooping
down, aiming for a bush a little over three hundred yards off; but
I couldn't seem to calculate for the wind, which was about two
points abaft my beam. I could see I was going considerable to
looard of the bush, so I worked my starboard wing slow and went
ahead strong on the port one, but it wouldn't answer; I could see I
was going to broach to, so I slowed down on both, and lit. I went
back to the rock and took another chance at it. I aimed two or
three points to starboard of the bush - yes, more than that -
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Apology by Xenophon: of wine; night and day he never ceased drinking, and at last became a
mere good-for-nothing, worthless alike to his city, his friends, and
himself. As to Anytus, even though the grave has closed upon him, his
evil reputation still survives him, due alike to his son's base
bringing-up and his own want of human feeling.
Socrates did, it is true, by his self-laudation draw down upon him the
jealousy of the court and caused his judges all the more to record
their votes against him. Yet even so I look upon the lot of destiny
which he obtained as providential,[58] chancing as he did upon the
easiest amidst the many shapes of death,[59] and escaping as he did
the one grievous portion of existence. And what a glorious chance,
The Apology |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from 1492 by Mary Johntson: like a mighty, breathing picture. He stood by the sea
and the ripples broke at his feet, and he felt and knew the
Master of Life, there where feeling and knowing pass into
Being.
He walked a mile beside Ocean-Sea, then sat down beneath
ridged sand with the wind singing over. It sang, _Where now,
Jayme de Marchena--where now--where now_?
I sat still. Spain rose behind me, Spain and Europe.
Before me, out of sea, lifted the New Lands. There fell
a moment of great calm and quiet. Then, fleeting, like a
spirit, passed before me the Indian Guarin who had saved
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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 Dynamiter by Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Van De Grift Stevenson: a voice in easy conversation. On the ground floor all was
not only profoundly silent, but the darkness seemed to weigh
upon my eyes. Here, then, I stood for some time, having
thrust myself uncalled into the utmost peril, and being
destitute of any power to help or interfere. Nor will I deny
that fear had begun already to assail me, when I became
aware, all at once and as though by some immediate but silent
incandescence, of a certain glimmering of light upon the
passage floor. Towards this I groped my way with infinite
precaution; and having come at length as far as the angle of
the corridor, beheld the door of the butler's pantry standing
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