| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Baby Mine by Margaret Mayo: down upon Jimmy with fresh vehemence. "The only time I get even
a semblance of truth out of Zoie," he cried, "is when I catch her
red-handed." Again he pounded the table and again Jimmy winced.
"And even then," he continued, "she colours it so with her
affected innocence and her plea about just wishing to be a 'good
fellow,' that she almost makes me doubt my own eyes. She is an
artist," he declared with a touch of enforced admiration.
"There's no use talking; that woman is an artist."
"What are you going to do?" asked Jimmy, for the want of anything
better to say.
"I am going to leave her," declared Alfred emphatically. "I am
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Merry Men by Robert Louis Stevenson: the glen, an' yon unhaly footstep that cam' ploddin doun the stairs
inside the manse. He kenned the foot over weel, for it was
Janet's; and at ilka step that cam' a wee thing nearer, the cauld
got deeper in his vitals. He commanded his soul to Him that made
an' keepit him; 'and O Lord,' said he, 'give me strength this night
to war against the powers of evil.'
By this time the foot was comin' through the passage for the door;
he could hear a hand skirt alang the wa', as if the fearsome thing
was feelin' for its way. The saughs tossed an' maned thegether, a
lang sigh cam' ower the hills, the flame o' the can'le was blawn
aboot; an' there stood the corp of Thrawn Janet, wi' her grogram
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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 Oedipus Trilogy by Sophocles: My father's blood nor climbed my mother's bed;
The monstrous offspring of a womb defiled,
Co-mate of him who gendered me, and child.
Was ever man before afflicted thus,
Like Oedipus.
CHORUS
I cannot say that thou hast counseled well,
For thou wert better dead than living blind.
OEDIPUS
What's done was well done. Thou canst never shake
My firm belief. A truce to argument.
Oedipus Trilogy |
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 Democracy In America, Volume 1 by Alexis de Toqueville: in republican constitutions. The Americans have not been able to
counteract the tendency which legislative assemblies have to get
possession of the government, but they have rendered this
propensity less irresistible. The salary of the President is
fixed, at the time of his entering upon office, for the whole
period of his magistracy. The President is, moreover, provided
with a suspensive veto, which allows him to oppose the passing of
such laws as might destroy the portion of independence which the
Constitution awards him. The struggle between the President and
the legislature must always be an unequal one, since the latter
is certain of bearing down all resistance by persevering in its
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