| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lin McLean by Owen Wister: you!" he said. He had no weapon, but made a dive under the bed and came
up with a carbine. The two men locked, wrenching impotently, and fell
together. The carbine's loud shot rang in the room, but did no harm; and
McLean lay sick and panting upon Lusk as Barker rushed in.
"Thank God!" said he, and flung Lusk's pistol down. The man, deranged and
encouraged by drink, had come across the doctor, delayed him, threatened
him with his pistol, and when he had torn it away, had left him suddenly
and vanished. But Barker had feared, and come after him here. He glanced
at the woman slumbering motionless beside the two men. The husband's
brief courage had gone, and he lay beneath McLean, who himself could not
rise. Barker pulled them apart.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tom Sawyer Abroad by Mark Twain: I speck."
"Why?"
"Well, hit stan' to reason we is. You knows how
long we's been a-skimmin' over it. Mus' be mos' out
o' san'. Hit's a wonder to me dat it's hilt out as long
as it has."
"Shucks, there's plenty sand, you needn't worry."
"Oh, I ain't a-worryin', Mars Tom, only wonderin',
dat's all. De Lord's got plenty san', I ain't doubtin'
dat; but nemmine, He ain't gwyne to WAS'E it jist on
dat account; en I allows dat dis Desert's plenty big
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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 Koran: Every soul must taste of death; and ye shall only be paid your
hire upon the resurrection day. But he who is forced away from the
fire and brought into Paradise is indeed happy; but the life of this
world is but a possession of deceit. Ye shall surely be tried in
your wealth, and in your persons, and ye shall surely hear from
those who have had the Book brought them before you, and from those
who associate others with God, much harm. But if ye be patient and
fear,- verily, that is one of the determined affairs.
When God took the compact from those who have had the Book brought
them that 'Ye shall of a surety manifest it unto men, and not hide
it,' they cast it behind their backs, and bought therewith a little
The Koran |
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 Purse by Honore de Balzac: fall," said the old lady, rising from an antique armchair that
stood by the chimney, and offering him a seat.
"No, madame. I have come to thank you for the kind care you gave
me, and above all mademoiselle, who heard me fall."
As he uttered this speech, stamped with the exquisite stupidity
given to the mind by the first disturbing symptoms of true love,
Hippolyte looked at the young girl. Adelaide was lighting the
Argand lamp, no doubt that she might get rid of a tallow candle
fixed in a large copper flat candlestick, and graced with a heavy
fluting of grease from its guttering. She answered with a slight
bow, carried the flat candlestick into the ante-room, came back,
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