| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Underground City by Jules Verne: befallen his comrade. He himself was getting on very well also.
They frequently met, either at the cottage or at the works in the pit.
Jack did not fail to remark the sentiments entertained by Harry
towards Nell. Harry would not confess to them; but Jack only
laughed at him when he shook his head and tried to deny any special
interest in her.
It must be noted that Jack Ryan had the greatest possible wish to be
of the party when Nell should pay her first visit to the upper surface
of the county of Stirling. He wished to see her wonder and admiration
on first beholding the yet unknown face of Nature. He very much hoped
that Harry would take him with them when the excursion was made.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Maggie: A Girl of the Streets by Stephen Crane: merriment, pointed a grimy forefinger in Pete's direction.
"Say, Jimmie," demanded he, "what deh hell is dat behind deh
bar?"
"Damned if I knows," replied Jimmie. They laughed loudly.
Pete put down a bottle with a bang and turned a formidable face
toward them. He disclosed his teeth and his shoulders heaved
restlessly.
"You fellers can't guy me," he said. "Drink yer stuff an' git
out an' don' make no trouble."
Instantly the laughter faded from the faces of the two men and
expressions of offended dignity immediately came.
Maggie: A Girl of the Streets |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Alcibiades II by Platonic Imitator: SOCRATES: Do you not imagine, then, that a man ought to be very careful,
lest perchance without knowing it he implore great evils for himself,
deeming that he is asking for good, especially if the Gods are in the mood
to grant whatever he may request? There is the story of Oedipus, for
instance, who prayed that his children might divide their inheritance
between them by the sword: he did not, as he might have done, beg that his
present evils might be averted, but called down new ones. And was not his
prayer accomplished, and did not many and terrible evils thence arise, upon
which I need not dilate?
ALCIBIADES: Yes, Socrates, but you are speaking of a madman: surely you
do not think that any one in his senses would venture to make such a
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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 Witch, et. al by Anton Chekhov: am!"
"Why are you frightened, child?" asked Crutch, and he looked back
to see how far Praskovya was behind.
"To begin with, when the wedding had been celebrated I was afraid
of Anisim Grigoritch. Anisim Grigoritch did nothing, he didn't
ill-treat me, only when he comes near me a cold shiver runs all
over me, through all my bones. And I did not sleep one night, I
trembled all over and kept praying to God. And now I am afraid of
Aksinya, Ilya Makaritch. It's not that she does anything, she is
always laughing, but sometimes she glances at the window, and her
eyes are so fierce and there is a gleam of green in them -- like
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