| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Pellucidar by Edgar Rice Burroughs: sional bird that I succeeded in knocking over with a
rock, for long practice as a pitcher on prep-school and
varsity nines had made me an excellent shot with a
hand-thrown missile.
It was not long before the hyaenodon's leg was suffi-
ciently mended to permit him to rise and hobble about
on three legs. I shall never forget with what intent in-
terest I watched his first attempt. Close at my hand lay
my pile of rocks. Slowly the beast came to his three good
feet. He stretched himself, lowered his head, and lapped
water from the drinking-shell at his side, turned and
Pellucidar |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Witch, et. al by Anton Chekhov: ravenously, and the children got up at night to eat more. Kiryak
was fearfully drunk for three whole days; he drank up everything,
even his boots and cap, and beat Marya so terribly that they had
to pour water over her. And then they were all ashamed and sick.
However, even in Zhukovo, in this "Slaveytown," there was once an
outburst of genuine religious enthusiasm. It was in August, when
throughout the district they carried from village to village the
Holy Mother, the giver of life. It was still and overcast on the
day when they expected _Her_ at Zhukovo. The girls set off in the
morning to meet the ikon, in their bright holiday dresses, and
brought Her towards the evening, in procession with the cross and
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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 St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson: I judged it was more wise to answer. This was not the first time I
had had to stake my fortunes on the goodness of my accent in a
foreign tongue; and I have always found the moment inspiriting, as
a gambler should. Pulling around me a sort of great-coat I had
made of my blanket, to cover my sulphur-coloured livery, - 'A
friend!' said I.
'What like's all this collieshangie?' said he.
I had never heard of a collieshangie in my days, but with the
racket all about us in the city, I could have no doubt as to the
man's meaning.
'I do not know, sir, really,' said I; 'but I suppose some of 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 Dynamiter by Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Van De Grift Stevenson: his ears stilly, like a whisper; and the rattle of the cab
that nearly charged him down, was like a sound from Africa.
Meanwhile, he was conscious of a strange abstraction from
himself; and heard and felt his footfalls on the ground, as
those of a very old, small, debile and tragically fortuned
man, whom he sincerely pitied.
As he was thus moving forward past the National Gallery, in a
medium, it seemed, of greater rarity and quiet than ordinary
air, there slipped into his mind the recollection of a
certain entry in Whitcomb Street hard by, where he might
perhaps lay down his tragic cargo unremarked. Thither, then,
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