| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Drama on the Seashore by Honore de Balzac: to whom he confessed his sin somewhere beyond Nantes. Others think
that Cambremer, that's his name, casts an evil fate on those who come
within his air, and so they always look which way the wind is before
they pass this rock. If it's nor'-westerly they wouldn't go by, no,
not if their errand was to get a bit of the true cross; they'd go
back, frightened. Others--they are the rich folks of Croisic--they say
that Cambremer has made a vow, and that's why people call him the Man
of the Vow. He is there night and day, he never leaves the place. All
these sayings have some truth in them. See there," he continued,
turning round to show us a thing we had not remarked, "look at that
wooden cross he has set up there, to the left, to show that he has put
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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 Son of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs: of what creatures of hideous mystery had he placed himself!
Frantically he fought to beat off the lad that he might turn upon
the fearsome thing at his back. Freeing one hand he struck a
savage blow at the lad's face. His act seemed to unloose a
thousand devils in the hairy creature clinging to his throat.
Condon heard a low and savage snarl. It was the last thing that
the American ever heard in this life. Then he was dragged backward
upon the floor, a heavy body fell upon him, powerful teeth fastened
themselves in his jugular, his head whirled in the sudden blackness
which rims eternity--a moment later the ape rose from his prostrate
form; but Condon did not know--he was quite dead.
The Son of Tarzan |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Edition of The Ambassadors by Henry James: in which they all took an interest; the strength of their interest
was in truth just the reason of her prudence. All this then, for
five minutes, was vivid to Strether, and it put before him that,
poor child, she had now but her prudence to amuse her. That, for a
pretty girl in Paris, struck him, with a rush, as a sorry state; so
that under the impression he went out to her with a step as
hypocritically alert, he was well aware, as if he had just come
into the room. She turned with a start at his voice; preoccupied
with him though she might be, she was just a scrap disappointed.
"Oh I thought you were Mr. Bilham!"
The remark had been at first surprising and our friend's private
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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 Historical Lecturers and Essays by Charles Kingsley: persecutor, Noel Beda, at their head, seized poor Berquin, and tried
to burn his books and him; twice had that angel in human form,
Marguerite d'Angouleme, sister of Francis I., saved him from their
clutches; but when Francis--taken prisoner at the battle of Pavia--
at last returned from his captivity in Spain, the suppression of
heresy and the burning of heretics seemed to him and to his mother,
Louise of Savoy, a thank-offering so acceptable to God, that Louis
Berquin--who would not, in spite of the entreaties of Erasmus,
purchase his life by silence--was burnt at last on the Place de
Greve, being first strangled, because he was of gentle blood.
Montpellier received its famous guest joyfully. Rabelais was now
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