| 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: officer's new hired-girl, and, beside her, Lin McLean.
Mr. McLean's hours were already various and successful. Even at the
wolf-dance, before he had wearied of its monotonous drumming and pageant,
his roving eye had rested upon a girl whose eyes he caught resting upon
him. A look, an approach, a word, and each was soon content with the
other. Then, when her duties called her to the post from him and the
stream's border, with a promise for next day he sought the hotel and
found the three gamblers anxious to make his acquaintance; for when a
cow-puncher has his pay many people will take an interest in him. The
three gamblers did not know that Mr. McLean could play cards. He left
them late in the evening fat with their money, and sought the tepees of
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Somebody's Little Girl by Martha Young: All the little children went every afternoon in their prettiest
dresses to the Mall where the band played.
Because in the afternoon the band played just the sort of music that
little girls liked to hear.
Every afternoon all the nurses came to the Mall and brought all the
babies, and the nurses rolled the babies up and down the sawdust
walks in the pretty baby-carriages, with nice white, and pink, and
blue parasols over the babies' heads.
That afternoon Sister Helen Vincula stayed a long time with Bessie
Bell, on the Mall, sitting by her on the stone bench and listening
to the gay music, and looking at the children in their prettiest
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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 Padre Ignacio by Owen Wister: from the world. Padre Ignacio was wont to sit in his garden, waiting for
the ship, as of old.
"As of old," they said, cheerfully, who saw him. But Renunciation with
Contentment they could not see; it was deep down in his silent and
thanked heart.
One day Felipe went to call him from his garden seat, wondering why the
ringing of the bell had not brought him to vespers. Breviary in lap, and
hands folded upon it, the Padre sat among his flowers, looking at the
sea. Out there amid the sapphire-blue, tranquil and white, gleamed the
sails of the barkentine. It had brought him a new message, not from this
world; and Padre Ignacio was slowly borne in from the garden, while the
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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 Passionate Pilgrim by William Shakespeare: With young Adonis, lovely, fresh, and green,
Did court the lad with many a lovely look,
Such looks as none could look but beauty's queen,
She told him stories to delight his ear;
She show'd him favours to allure his eye;
To win his heart, she touch'd him here and there, --
Touches so soft still conquer chastity.
But whether unripe years did want conceit,
Or he refused to take her figured proffer,
The tender nibbler would not touch the bait,
But smile and jest at every gentle offer:
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