| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: And now each man spat upon his hands and, clapping them
upon his knees, squatted down, watching the other keenly,
so as to take the vantage of him in the grip.
Then like a flash they leaped together, and a great shout
went up, for William had gotten the better hold of the two.
For a short time they strained and struggled and writhed,
and then stout William gave his most cunning trip and throw,
but the stranger met it with greater skill than his,
and so the trip came to nought. Then, of a sudden,
with a twist and a wrench, the stranger loosed himself,
and he of the scar found himself locked in a pair of arms
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lay Morals by Robert Louis Stevenson: conducted upon lies and so-called customs of the trade, that
not a man bestows two thoughts on the utility or
honourableness of his pursuit. I would say less if I thought
less. But looking to my own reason and the right of things,
I can only avow that I am a thief myself, and that I
passionately suspect my neighbours of the same guilt.
Where did you hear that it was easy to be honest? Do you
find that in your Bible? Easy! It is easy to be an ass and
follow the multitude like a blind, besotted bull in a
stampede; and that, I am well aware, is what you and Mrs.
Grundy mean by being honest. But it will not bear the stress
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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 Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad: long fair moustache fell below the line of the jaw. He smiled the
smile of an old if distant acquaintance, and Mrs Verloc remembered
having seen him before. Not a customer. She softened her
"customer stare" to mere indifference, and faced him across the
counter.
He approached, on his side, confidentially, but not too markedly
so.
"Husband at home, Mrs Verloc?" he asked in an easy, full tone.
"No. He's gone out."
"I am sorry for that. I've called to get from him a little private
information."
The Secret Agent |
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 Letters of Two Brides by Honore de Balzac: governess, to whom I had handed him over, remarked on the beauty of
his black hair and of his pearly teeth. As to his eyes, they are
velvet and fire; but he is plain and insignificant. Though the
Spaniards have been described as not a cleanly people, this man is
most carefully got up, and his hands are whiter than his face. He
stoops a little, and has an extremely large, oddly-shaped head. His
ugliness, which, however, has a dash of piquancy, is aggravated by
smallpox marks, which seam his face. His forehead is very prominent,
and the shaggy eyebrows meet, giving a repellent air of harshness.
There is a frowning, plaintive look on his face, reminding one of a
sickly child, which owes its life to superhuman care, as Sister Marthe
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