| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Vendetta by Honore de Balzac: sadly.
"You mean to leave Monsieur Servin!" exclaimed Ginevra, less affected,
however, by this news than she would have been a month earlier.
"Haven't you noticed, Ginevra, that for some days past you and I have
been alone in the studio?"
"True," said Ginevra, as if struck by a sudden recollection. "Are all
those young ladies ill, or going to be married, or are their fathers
on duty at court?"
"They have left Monsieur Servin," replied Laure.
"Why?"
"On your account, Ginevra."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Travels with a Donkey in the Cevenne by Robert Louis Stevenson: Snows. The sun came out as I left the shelter of a pine-wood, and
I beheld suddenly a fine wild landscape to the south. High rocky
hills, as blue as sapphire, closed the view, and between these lay
ridge upon ridge, heathery, craggy, the sun glittering on veins of
rock, the underwood clambering in the hollows, as rude as God made
them at the first. There was not a sign of man's hand in all the
prospect; and indeed not a trace of his passage, save where
generation after generation had walked in twisted footpaths, in and
out among the beeches, and up and down upon the channelled slopes.
The mists, which had hitherto beset me, were now broken into
clouds, and fled swiftly and shone brightly in the sun. I drew a
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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 Betty Zane by Zane Grey: terrible fate which had menaced him, and knowing that he was once more on his
way to the Huron encampment, he had accepted his destiny and quarreled no more
with fate. He was thankful beyond all words for his rescue from the stake.
Coming to a clear, rapid stream, the warriors dismounted and rested while
their horses drank thirstily of the cool water. An Indian touched Isaac on the
arm and silently pointed toward the huge maple tree under which Thundercloud
and Myeerah were sitting. Isaac turned his horse and rode the short distance
intervening. When he got near he saw that Myeerah stood with one arm over her
pony's neck. She raised eyes that were weary and sad, which yet held a lofty
and noble resolve.
"White Eagle, this stream leads straight to the Fort on the river," she said
Betty Zane |
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 Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne: the whirlwind. Here it comes, there it glides, now it is up the
ragged stump of the mast, thence it lightly leaps on the provision
bag, descends with a light bound, and just skims the powder magazine.
Horrible! we shall be blown up; but no, the dazzling disk of
mysterious light nimbly leaps aside; it approaches Hans, who fixes
his blue eye upon it steadily; it threatens the head of my uncle, who
falls upon his knees with his head down to avoid it. And now my turn
comes; pale and trembling under the blinding splendour and the
melting heat, it drops at my feet, spinning silently round upon the
deck; I try to move my foot away, but cannot.
A suffocating smell of nitrogen fills the air, it enters the throat,
Journey to the Center of the Earth |
