| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Stories From the Old Attic by Robert Harris: wall. "It shouldn't be cold and rejecting to everybody." And so at
first, the new wall let many people climb up over it.
"And I'll show you what a bridge should do," said the new bridge.
"It shouldn't let just anybody across." And so at first, the new
bridge provided a difficult passage, causing many travelers to trip
on the surface and a few even to fall over the edge.
But as spring and summer, harvest and winter came and went again and
again, the rocks on the new wall grew more and more slippery and the
little projections gradually broke away, so that climbing over or
even getting a foothold became very difficult. And in the same
passage of time, the rough spots on the new bridge wore down and the
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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 Wrecker by Stevenson & Osbourne: knowledge.
"Your name is Madden, I think," said I. "My old friend Stennis
told me about you when I came."
"Yes, I am sorry he went; I feel such a Grandfather William,
alone among all these lads," he replied.
"My name is Dodd," I resumed.
"Yes," said he, "so Madame Siron told me."
"Dodd, of San Francisco," I continued. "Late of Pinkerton and
Dodd."
"Montana Block, I think?" said he.
"The same," said I.
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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 Tom Sawyer Abroad by Mark Twain: "Yes, Uncle Abner says there is. He says they've
got it in New York, and they put it on country people's
eyes and show them all the railroads in the world, and
they go in and git them, and then when they rub the
salve on the other eye the other man bids them good-
bye and goes off with their railroads. Here's the
treasure-hill now. Lower away!"
We landed, but it warn't as interesting as I thought
it was going to be, because we couldn't find the place
where they went in to git the treasure. Still, it was
plenty interesting enough, just to see the mere hill
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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 Reign of King Edward the Third by William Shakespeare: [Enter Lord Percy.]
KING EDWARD.
Lord Percy! welcome: what's the news in England?
PERCY.
The Queen, my Lord, comes here to your Grace,
And from her highness and the Lord viceregent
I bring this happy tidings of success:
David of Scotland, lately up in arms,
Thinking, belike, he soonest should prevail,
Your highness being absent from the Realm,
Is, by the fruitful service of your peers
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