| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer: and a big man, who, despite the warmth of the weather,
wore a fur-lined overcoat, rushed impetuously into the room.
"Sir Lionel!" cried Smith eagerly. "I warned you!
And see, you have had a very narrow escape."
Sir Lionel Barton glanced at what lay upon the floor,
then from Smith to myself, and from me to Inspector Weymouth.
He dropped into one of the few chairs unstacked with books.
"Mr. Smith," he said, with emotion, "what does this mean?
Tell me--quickly."
In brief terms Smith detailed the happenings of the night--
or so much as he knew of them. Sir Lionel Barton listened,
The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from One Basket by Edna Ferber: "Hello, Pop."
Of the roomful, Dike and old Ben were the only quiet ones. The
others were taking up the explanation and going over it again and
again, and marveling, and asking questions.
"He come in to--what's that place, Dike?--Hoboken--yesterday
only. An' he sent a dispatch to the farm. Can't you read our
letters, Dike, that you didn't know we was here now? And then
he's only got an hour more. They got to go to Camp Grant to be,
now, demobilized. He came out to Minnie's on a chance. Ain't he
big!"
But Dike and his father were looking at each other quietly. Then
One Basket |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Confessio Amantis by John Gower: In hevene he fell out of his stede,
And Paradis him was forbede,
The goode men in Erthe him hate,
So that to helle he mot algate, 3410
Where every vertu schal be weyved
And every vice be received.
Bot Humblesce is al otherwise,
Which most is worth, and no reprise
It takth ayein, bot softe and faire,
If eny thing stond in contraire,
With humble speche it is redresced:
Confessio Amantis |
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 Under the Andes by Rex Stout: I pinched my nostrils to exclude the horrible odor which, like
the fumes of some deadly poison, choked and smothered me. It came
now in puffs, like a draft of a fetid wind, and I realized that it
was the creature's breath. I could feel it against my body, my
neck and face, and knew that if I breathed it full into my lungs I
should be overcome.
But still more terrifying were the eyes. There was something
compelling, supernaturally compelling, about their steadfast and
brilliant gaze. A mysterious power seemed to emanate from them; a
power that hypnotized the mind and deadened the senses. I closed
my eyes to avoid it, but was unable to keep them closed. They
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