The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne: branches, only roused birds which could not be approached. Even the
couroucous were invisible, and it was probable that the sailor would be
obliged to return to the marshy part of the forest, in which he had so
happily performed his grouse fishing.
"Well, Pencroft," said Neb, in a slightly sarcastic tone, "if this is all
the game which you promised to bring back to my master, it won't need a
large fire to roast it!"
"Have patience," replied the sailor, "it isn't the game which will be
wanting on our return."
"Have you not confidence in Captain Harding?"
"Yes."
The Mysterious Island |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Michael Strogoff by Jules Verne: remove them when they were found too inconvenient?
This was the secret of the capricious Emir.
This army had not come from Omsk and Kolyvan with-
out bringing in its train the usual crowd of beggars, free-
booters, pedlars, and gypsies, which compose the rear-guard
of an army on the march.
All these people lived on the country traversed, and left
little of anything behind them. There was, therefore, a
necessity for pushing forward, if only to secure provisions
for the troops. The whole region between Ichim and the
Obi, now completely devastated, no longer offered any re-
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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 Rinkitink In Oz by L. Frank Baum: anyone, for she had resolved to cut through the
forest and so reach the bridge of boats without
entering the City of Regos, where she might be
interrupted. For an hour or two she found the
walking easy enough, but then the forest, which
in this part was unknown to her, became badly
tangled. The trees were thicker and creeping
vines intertwined between them. She had to
turn this way and that to get through at all, and
finally she came to a place where a network of
vines and branches effectually barred her farther
Rinkitink In Oz |
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 Tales of the Klondyke by Jack London: of the slush lamp. She appeared to start out against a background
of utter black, and the flame, flaring suddenly up, lighted her
bronze beauty to royal gold.
"You see, it is impossible," he groaned, thrusting the fair-haired
woman gently from him. "It is impossible," he repeated. "It is
impossible."
"I am not a girl, Dave, with a girl's illusions," she said softly,
though not daring to come back to him. "It is as a woman that I
understand. Men are men. A common custom of the country. I am
not shocked. I divined it from the first. But--ah!--it is only a
marriage of the country--not a real marriage?"
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