| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Child of Storm by H. Rider Haggard: they poured down upon us, for we had made a ring; every minute men died
by hundreds, and, though their numbers grew few, not one of the Amawombe
yielded. I was fighting with a spear now, though how it came into my
hand I cannot remember for certain. I think, however, I wrenched it
from a man who rushed at me and was stabbed before he could strike. I
killed a captain with this spear, for as he fell I recognised his face.
It was that of one of Cetewayo's companions to whom I had sold some
cloth at Nodwengu. The fallen were piled up quite thick around me--we
were using them as a breastwork, friend and foe together. I saw Scowl's
horse rear into the air and fall. He slipped over its tail, and next
instant was fighting at my side, also with a spear, muttering Dutch and
Child of Storm |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Personal Record by Joseph Conrad: the Shipmasters' Society, besides its general guardianship of our
interests, should not be unofficially an employment agency of the
very highest class.
"I am trying to persuade all our great ship-owning firms to come
to us for their men. There is nothing of a trade-union spirit
about our society, and I really don't see why they should not,"
he said once to me. "I am always telling the captains, too,
that, all things being equal, they ought to give preference to
the members of the society. In my position I can generally find
for them what they want among our members or our associate
members."
A Personal Record |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Master of the World by Jules Verne: had been much surprised that none of the authorities had been able to
throw any light upon the recent performances of the "demon
automobile." And when Mr. Ward brought up this subject, I did not
conceal from him my astonishment.
He pointed out that the vehicle was practically unpursuable; that in
its earlier appearances, it had apparently vanished from all roads
even before a telephone message could be sent ahead. Active and
numerous police agents had been spread throughout the country, but no
one of them had encountered the delinquent. He did not move
continuously from place to place, even at his amazing speed, but
seemed to appear only for a moment and then to vanish into thin air.
|
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 Tarzan the Untamed by Edgar Rice Burroughs: Kircher wondered for an instant and then attempted to
draw her leg cautiously from beneath the body of her mount;
but she could not budge it. She increased the force of her
efforts and Numa looked up from his feeding to growl again.
The girl desisted. She hoped that he might satisfy his hunger
and then depart to lie up, but she could not believe that he
would leave her there alive. Doubtless he would drag the
remains of his kill into the bush for hiding and, as there could
be no doubt that he considered her part of his prey, he would
certainly come back for her, or possibly drag her in first and
kill her.
Tarzan the Untamed |
