| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Intentions by Oscar Wilde: the characteristic of the artistic temperament is in itself a mode
of limitation. To those who are preoccupied with the beauty of
form nothing else seems of much importance. Yet there are many
exceptions to this rule. Rubens served as ambassador, and Goethe
as state councillor, and Milton as Latin secretary to Cromwell.
Sophocles held civic office in his own city; the humourists,
essayists, and novelists of modern America seem to desire nothing
better than to become the diplomatic representatives of their
country; and Charles Lamb's friend, Thomas Griffiths Wainewright,
the subject of this brief memoir, though of an extremely artistic
temperament, followed many masters other than art, being not merely
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Before Adam by Jack London: against the wall and fell back, I got the dog by the
throat and slowly throttled him. I was a long time
doing it. He clawed and ripped my hair and hide with
his hind-paws, and ever he jerked and lunged with his
weight to drag me from the wall.
At last his teeth opened and released my torn flesh. I
carried his body up the cliff with me, and perched out
the night in the entrance of my old cave, wherein were
Lop-Ear and my sister. But first I had to endure a
storm of abuse from the aroused horde for being the
cause of the disturbance. I had my revenge. From time
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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 Heroes by Charles Kingsley: him.'
So AEgeus came out into the hall; and when Theseus saw him,
his heart leapt into his mouth, and he longed to fall on his
neck and welcome him; but he controlled himself, and said,
'My father may not wish for me, after all. I will try him
before I discover myself;' and he bowed low before AEgeus,
and said, 'I have delivered the king's realm from many
monsters; therefore I am come to ask a reward of the king.'
And old AEgeus looked on him, and loved him, as what fond
heart would not have done? But he only sighed, and said -
'It is little that I can give you, noble lad, and nothing
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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 My Aunt Margaret's Mirror by Walter Scott: Lady Bothwell next urged the unlawfulness of resorting to such
sources of forbidden knowledge.
"Sister," replied the sufferer, "he who is dying of thirst cannot
refrain from drinking even poisoned water. She who suffers under
suspense must seek information, even were the powers which offer
it unhallowed and infernal. I go to learn my fate alone, and
this very evening will I know it; the sun that rises to-morrow
shall find me, if not more happy, at least more resigned."
"Sister," said Lady Bothwell, "if you are determined upon this
wild step, you shall not go alone. If this man be an impostor,
you may be too much agitated by your feelings to detect his
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