| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from An Inland Voyage by Robert Louis Stevenson: sunset in the daintiest rose and gold inaugurated a thick night of
stars and a month of unbroken weather. At the same time, the river
began to give us a better outlook into the country. The banks were
not so high, the willows disappeared from along the margin, and
pleasant hills stood all along its course and marked their profile
on the sky.
In a little while the canal, coming to its last lock, began to
discharge its water-houses on the Oise; so that we had no lack of
company to fear. Here were all our old friends; the DEO GRATIAS of
Conde and the FOUR SONS OF AYMON journeyed cheerily down stream
along with us; we exchanged waterside pleasantries with the
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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 Water-Babies by Charles Kingsley: and strangled by the sentence. A boa constrictor, she said, was
bad company enough: but what was a boa constrictor made of paving
stones?
"It was quite shocking! What can they think is the matter with
him?" said she to the old nurse.
"That his wit's just addled; may be wi' unbelief and heathenry,"
quoth she.
"Then why can't they say so?"
And the heaven, and the sea, and the rocks, and the vales re-echoed
- "Why indeed?" But the doctors never heard them.
So she made Sir John write to the TIMES to command the Chancellor
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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 King Henry VI by William Shakespeare: For we were subjects but while you were king.
KING HENRY.
Why, am I dead? do I not breathe, a man?
Ah, simple men! you know not what you swear.
Look, as I blow this feather from my face,
And as the air blows it to me again,
Obeying with my wind when I do blow,
And yielding to another when it blows,
Commanded always by the greater gust,
Such is the lightness of you common men.
But do not break your oaths; for of that sin
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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 Lucile by Owen Meredith: Or rejected,--a love, true, intense--such, at least,
As you, and you only, could wake in my breast!"
"Hush, hush! . . . I beseech you . . . for pity!' she gasp'd,
Snatching hurriedly from him the hand he had clasp'd,
In her effort instinctive to fly from the spot.
"For pity?" . . . he echoed, "for pity! and what
Is the pity you owe him? his pity for you!
He, the lord of a life, fresh as new-fallen dew!
The guardian and guide of a woman, young, fair,
And matchless! (whose happiness did he not swear
To cherish through life?) he neglects her--for whom?
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