| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Poor and Proud by Oliver Optic: my friend Mr. Simon Sneed, and I believe him to be an honest and
faithful young man, of gentlemanly bearing, pleasing address, and
polite manners, who will be an honor and an ornament to any
establishment that may be so fortunate as to secure his valuable
services; and I cheerfully recommend him to any person to whom he
may apply for a situation. Mayor of Boston."
"I have left a blank space for his honor's signature," continued
Master Simon, when he had read the modest document. "What do you
think of it, Katy?"
"It is very fine. What a great scholar you must be! I should
think you'd write a book."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The American by Henry James: or to be curious. Bellegarde, however, presently went on.
"And my mother--and my brother--will they come?
Are they at Fleurieres?"
"They were in Paris, but I didn't see them, either," Newman answered.
"If they received your telegram in time, they will have started this morning.
Otherwise they will be obliged to wait for the night-express, and they
will arrive at the same hour as I did."
"They won't thank me--they won't thank me," Valentin murmured.
"They will pass an atrocious night, and Urbain doesn't
like the early morning air. I don't remember ever in my
life to have seen him before noon--before breakfast.
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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 Nada the Lily by H. Rider Haggard: Now I bent forward and whispered to him, yet, alas! not low enough.
"You are the son of the Black One who is dead, yea, sprung from the
blood of Chaka and of Baleka, my sister."
"I still have some kinship with you then, Mopo, and that I am glad of.
Wow! who would have guessed that I was the son of the Silwana, of that
hyena man? Perhaps it is for this reason that, like Galazi, I love the
company of the wolves, though no love grows in my heart for my father
or any of his house."
"You have little cause to love him, Umslopogaas, for he murdered your
mother, Baleka, and would have slain you also. But you are the son of
Chaka and of no other man."
Nada the Lily |
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 New Machiavelli by H. G. Wells: Then silence came with a startling swiftness.
Isabel was still in my mind, I suppose. "I shall go to
Westminster," I began. I sought for some compelling phrase and
could not find one. "To do my share," I went on, "in building up a
great and splendid civilisation."
I paused, and there was a weak gust of cheering, and then a renewal
of booing.
"This election," I said, " has been the end and the beginning of
much. New ideas are abroad--"
"Chinese labour," yelled a voice, and across the square swept a
wildfire of booting and bawling.
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