| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Lock and Key Library by Julian Hawthorne, Ed.: some among them opening their petals and exhaling their fragrance
only in the hours of night; so that, as his form filled up the jaws
of the dull arch, obscuring the moonbeam that strove to pierce the
shadows that slept within, it stood now--wan and blighted--as I had
seen it first, radiant and joyous, literally "framed in blooms."
IV
"So," said Margrave, turning to me, "under the soil that spreads
around us lies the gold which to you and to me is at this moment of
no value, except as a guide to its twin-born--the regenerator of
life!"
"You have not yet described to me the nature of the substance which
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens: 'ME,' he repeated, bending the dark hollows of his eyes upon him
with an unwholesome smile, 'who, stricken by the magic of his
eloquence in Scotland but a year ago, abjured the errors of the
Romish church, and clung to him as one whose timely hand had
plucked me from a pit?'
'True. No--No. I--I didn't mean it,' replied the other, shaking
him by the hand, rising from his seat, and pacing restlessly about
the room. 'It's a proud thing to lead the people, Gashford,' he
added as he made a sudden halt.
'By force of reason too,' returned the pliant secretary.
'Ay, to be sure. They may cough and jeer, and groan in Parliament,
Barnaby Rudge |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Dynamiter by Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Van De Grift Stevenson: jingle which was to serve as password. 'This may, perhaps,
assist you,' he said, and then, with some embarrassment,
'"Nigger, nigger, never die."'
A light of relief broke upon the troubled countenance of the
man with the chin-beard. '"Black face and shining eye" -
give me the letter,' he panted, in one gasp.
'Well,' said Challoner, though still with some reluctance, 'I
suppose I must regard you as the proper recipient; and though
I may justly complain of the spirit in which I have been
treated, I am only too glad to be done with all
responsibility. Here it is,' and he produced the envelope.
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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 The Touchstone by Edith Wharton: suppose, that they might benefit me somehow--I don't know--I'm not
much up on such things--" he reached his hand to the tall glass
his host had filled.
"A collection of autograph letters, eh? Any big names?"
"Oh, only one name. They're all letters written to him--by one
person, you understand; a woman, in fact--"
"Oh, a woman," said Flamel, negligently.
Glennard was nettled by his obvious loss of interest. "I rather
think they'd attract a good deal of notice if they were
published."
Flamel still looked uninterested. "Love-letters, I suppose?"
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