| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: loosen her stays."
"Modern souls oughtn't to wear them," said I. He pushed past me and
clattered down the stairs.
...
When I came down to breakfast next morning there were two places vacant at
table. Fraulein Sonia and Herr Professor had gone off for a day's
excursion in the woods.
I wondered.
7. AT LEHMANN'S.
Certainly Sabina did not find life slow. She was on the trot from early
morning until late at night. At five o'clock she tumbled out of bed,
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Soul of a Bishop by H. G. Wells: and a gilt coach. It wanted a pastoral crook. It wanted something
to go with its mace and its mayor. And (obsessed by The Snicker)
it wanted less of Lady Ella. The cruelty and unreason of these
attacks upon his wife distressed the bishop beyond measure, and
baffled him hopelessly. He could not see any means of checking
them nor of defending or justifying her against them.
The palace was awaiting its tenant, but the controversies and
bitternesses were still swinging and swaying and developing when
King George was being crowned. Close upon that event came a wave
of social discontent, the great railway strike, a curious sense
of social and political instability, and the first beginnings of
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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 Enemies of Books by William Blades: thus speaks of the shameful fate of the Monastic libraries:--
"A greate nombre of them whyche purchased those superstycyouse mansyons
(_Monasteries_) reserved of those librarye bookes some to serve
their jakes, some to scoure theyr candelstyckes, and some to rubbe
theyr bootes. Some they solde to the grossers and sope sellers,
and some they sent over see to yeS booke bynders, not in small nombre,
but at tymes whole shyppes full, to yeS, wonderynge of foren nacyons.
Yea yeS. Universytees of thys realme are not alle clere in thys
detestable fact. But cursed is that bellye whyche seketh to be
fedde with suche ungodlye gaynes, and so depelye shameth hys
natural conterye. I knowe a merchant manne, whych shall at thys
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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 A Book of Remarkable Criminals by H. B. Irving: and make quickly down the path. Robinson followed him. The man
turned; "Keep back!" he said, "or by God I'll shoot you!"
Robinson came on. The man fired three shots from a revolver, all
of which passed close to the officer's head. Robinson made
another rush for him, the man fired another shot. It missed its
mark. The constable closed with his would-be assassin, and
struck him in the face. "I'll settle you this time," cried the
man, and fired a fifth shot, which went through Robinson's
arm just above the elbow. But, in spite of his wound, the
valiant officer held his prisoner, succeeded in flinging him to
the ground, and catching hold of the revolver that hung round the
A Book of Remarkable Criminals |
