| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Exiles by Honore de Balzac: immortality, humanly speaking."
"Can I give what I have not?" cried the elder.
Escorted by the crowd, which followed in their footsteps, like
courtiers round a king, at a respectful distance, Godefroid, with the
old man and the Doctor, made their way to the oozy shore, where as yet
there were no houses, and where the ferryman was waiting for them. The
Doctor and the stranger were talking together, not in Latin nor in any
Gallic tongue, but in an unknown language, and very gravely. They
pointed with their hands now to heaven and now to the earth. Sigier,
to whom the paths by the river were familiar, guided the venerable
stranger with particular care to the narrow planks which here and
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Reminiscences of Tolstoy by Leo Tolstoy: Unfortunately, I have no rich shorthand material to rely on,
such as Gúsef and Bulgákof had for their memoirs, and
more especially Dushán Petróvitch Makowicki, who is
preparing, I am told, a big and conscientious work, full of truth
and interest.
In November, 1906, my sister Masha died of inflammation of the
lungs. It is a curious thing that she vanished out of life with
just as little commotion as she had passed through it. Evidently
this is the lot of all the pure in heart.
No one was particularly astonished by her death. I remember
that when I received the telegram, I felt no surprise. It seemed
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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 Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson: very well what you told me in the brig. But the temptation and
the act are different, I thank God again for that. We may all be
tempted; but to take a life in cold blood, Alan!" And I could
say no more for the moment. "And do you know who did it?" I
added. "Do you know that man in the black coat?"
"I have nae clear mind about his coat," said Alan cunningly, "but
it sticks in my head that it was blue."
"Blue or black, did ye know him?" said I.
"I couldnae just conscientiously swear to him," says Alan. "He
gaed very close by me, to be sure, but it's a strange thing that
I should just have been tying my brogues."
Kidnapped |
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 Works of Samuel Johnson by Samuel Johnson: against reprisals, may extricate themselves from
unexpected encounters.
Vida, a man of considerable skill in the politicks
of literature, directs his pupil wholly to abandon
his defence, and even when he can irrefragably refute
all objections, to suffer tamely the exultations
of his antagonist.
This rule may perhaps be just, when advice is
asked, and severity solicited, because no man tells
his opinion so freely as when he imagines it received
with implicit veneration; and criticks ought never
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