The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Yates Pride by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman: old voice.
Eudora flushed slightly, and, as if in response, the old man
flushed, also. "No, I thank you, Wilson," she said, and moved on.
The boy, who was raking dry leaves, stood gazing at them with a
shrewd, whimsical expression. He was the old man's grandson.
"Is that a boy or a girl kid, grandpa?" he inquired, when the
gardener returned.
"Hold your tongue!" replied the old man, irascibly. Suddenly he
seized the boy by his two thin little shoulders with knotted old
hands.
"Look at here, Tommy, whatever you know, you keep your mouth
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Vendetta by Honore de Balzac: Imperial eagles and uniform were so placed that she did not see them
through the crevice in the partition. She was lost in conjectures.
Suddenly Servin came in, much earlier than usual.
"Mademoiselle Ginevra," he said, after glancing round the studio, "why
have you placed yourself there? The light is bad. Come nearer to the
rest of the young ladies and pull down that curtain a little."
Then he sat down near Laure, whose work deserved his most cordial
attention.
"Well, well!" he cried; "here, indeed, is a head extremely well done.
You'll be another Ginevra."
The master then went from easel to easel, scolding, flattering,
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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 Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs: hidden clasp, she saw the two halves spring apart to reveal in
either section an ivory miniature.
One was of a beautiful woman and the other might have
been a likeness of the man who sat beside her, except for a
subtle difference of expression that was scarcely definable.
She looked up at Tarzan to find him leaning toward her
gazing on the miniatures with an expression of astonishment.
He reached out his hand for the locket and took it away
from her, examining the likenesses within with unmistakable
signs of surprise and new interest. His manner clearly
denoted that he had never before seen them, nor imagined that
 Tarzan of the Apes |
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 Mrs. Warren's Profession by George Bernard Shaw: your own throat as well as breaking my heart in turning your back
on me?
VIVIE. I recognize the Crofts philosophy of life, mother. I
heard it all from him that day at the Gardners'.
MRS WARREN. You think I want to force that played-out old sot on
you! I dont, Vivie: on my oath I dont.
VIVIE. It would not matter if you did: you would not succeed.
[Mrs Warren winces, deeply hurt by the implied indifference
towards her affectionate intention. Vivie, neither understanding
this nor concerning herself about it, goes on calmly] Mother: you
dont at all know the sort of person I am. I dont object to
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