| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Essays of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson: Evil days were now coming thick on the Devonian. He could find no
berth in Belfast, and had to work a passage to Glasgow on a steamer.
She reached the Broomielaw on a Wednesday: the Devonian had a
bellyful that morning, laying in breakfast manfully to provide
against the future, and set off along the quays to seek employment.
But he was now not only penniless, his clothes had begun to fall in
tatters; he had begun to have the look of a street Arab; and captains
will have nothing to say to a ragamuffin; for in that trade, as in
all others, it is the coat that depicts the man. You may hand, reef,
and steer like an angel, but if you have a hole in your trousers, it
is like a millstone round your neck. The Devonian lost heart at so
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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 Princess by Alfred Tennyson: And again sighing she spoke: 'A dream
That once was mind! what woman taught you this?'
'Alone,' I said, 'from earlier than I know,
Immersed in rich foreshadowings of the world,
I loved the woman: he, that doth not, lives
A drowning life, besotted in sweet self,
Or pines in sad experience worse than death,
Or keeps his winged affections clipt with crime:
Yet was there one through whom I loved her, one
Not learnèd, save in gracious household ways,
Not perfect, nay, but full of tender wants,
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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 Odyssey by Homer: "May it be even so," answered Penelope; "if your words come
true, you shall have such gifts and such good will from me that
all who see you shall congratulate you."
Thus did they converse. Meanwhile the suitors were throwing
discs, or aiming with spears at a mark on the levelled ground in
front of the house, and behaving with all their old insolence.
But when it was now time for dinner, and the flock of sheep and
goats had come into the town from all the country round, {140}
with their shepherds as usual, then Medon, who was their
favourite servant, and who waited upon them at table, said, "Now
then, my young masters, you have had enough sport, so come
The Odyssey |
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 Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas: "Bah!"
"Oh, mon Dieu! yes."
"And have you abandoned the service?"
"I have quitted it."
"You have abandoned the king?"
"Quite."
Porthos raised his arms towards heaven, like a man who has
heard extraordinary news. "Well, that does confound me,"
said he.
"It is nevertheless true."
"And what led you to form such a resolution?"
Ten Years Later |
