| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Off on a Comet by Jules Verne: "The devastation is not limited to Africa," observed the count.
"Assuredly not," assented the lieutenant; adding, "and I confess I
am almost in despair whether we shall ever ascertain its limits.
To what quarter of Europe, if Europe still exists, do you propose
that I should now direct your course?"
"To Sicily, Italy, France!" ejaculated Servadac, eagerly,--"anywhere where we
can learn the truth of what has befallen us."
"How if we are the sole survivors?" said the count, gravely.
Hector Servadac was silent; his own secret presentiment so
thoroughly coincided with the doubts expressed by the count,
that he refrained from saying another word.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne: "Eighty chances!" replied the passenger, turning his back on him.
"I know it," said Passepartout, turning to another passenger,
"but a simple idea--"
"Ideas are no use," returned the American, shrugging his shoulders,
"as the engineer assures us that we can pass."
"Doubtless," urged Passepartout, "we can pass, but perhaps it would
be more prudent--"
"What! Prudent!" cried Colonel Proctor, whom this word seemed
to excite prodigiously. "At full speed, don't you see, at full speed!"
"I know--I see," repeated Passepartout; "but it would be, if not more prudent,
since that word displeases you, at least more natural--"
Around the World in 80 Days |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Mountains by Stewart Edward White: small,--a twelve-inch fish is a monster,--but are
of extraordinary delicacy for eating. We three
devoured sixty-five that first evening in camp.
Now the following considerations seem to me at
this point worthy of note. In the first place, the
Golden Trout occurs but in this one stream, and is
easily caught. At present the stream is comparatively
inaccessible, so that the natural supply probably
keeps even with the season's catches. Still the
trail is on the direct route to Mount Whitney, and
year by year the ascent of this "top of the Republic"
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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 Ebb-Tide by Stevenson & Osbourne: 'Well, now, I'll tell you what I would do,' said the captain: 'I
would have none of your fancy rigs with the man driving from
the mizzen cross-trees, but a plain fore-and-aft hack cab of the
highest registered tonnage. First of all, I would bring up at the
market and get a turkey and a sucking-pig. Then I'd go to a
wine merchant's and get a dozen of champagne, and a dozen of
some sweet wine, rich and sticky and strong, something in the
port or madeira line, the best in the store. Then I'd bear up for
a toy-store, and lay out twenty dollars in assorted toys for the
piccaninnies; and then to a confectioner's and take in cakes and
pies and fancy bread, and that stuff with the plums in it; and
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