| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini: they had seen had been a swift whirl of flashing blades, and then
Andre-Louis stretched almost to the ground in an upward lunge that
had pierced the Marquis' right arm just below the shoulder.
The sword fell from the suddenly relaxed grip of La Tour d'Azyr's
fingers, which had been rendered powerless, and he stood now
disarmed, his lip in his teeth, his face white, his chest heaving,
before his opponent, who had at once recovered. With the
blood-tinged tip of his sword resting on the ground, Andre-Louis
surveyed him grimly, as we survey the prey that through our own
clumsiness has escaped us at the last moment.
In the Assembly and in the newspapers this might be hailed as another
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Burning Daylight by Jack London: there. I know it. But suppose your prayer should be answered
and I'd go clean broke and have to work for day's wages?"
She did not answer, though all the body of her seemed to urge
consent.
"Suppose I had nothing left but that little ranch, and was
satisfied to grow a few chickens and scratch a living somehow-
-would you marry me then, Dede?"
"Why, we'd be together all the time!" she cried.
"But I'd have to be out ploughing once in a while, he warned, "or
driving to town to get the grub."
"But there wouldn't be the office, at any rate, and no man to
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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 The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum: found except monkeys. The monkeys are spry enough to keep out of
the way of the fierce Kalidahs, which attack all other animals
and often fight among themselves."
"Did they try to fight you when you saw 'em?" asked Trot,
getting very much excited.
"Yes. They sprang upon me in an instant; but I lay flat on the
ground, so I wouldn't get my legs broken by the great weight of
the beasts, and when they tried to bite me I laughed at them and
jeered them until they were frantic with rage, for they nearly
broke their teeth on my hard glass. So, after a time, they
discovered they could not hurt me, and went away. It was great fun."
The Magic of 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 The Commission in Lunacy by Honore de Balzac: standing close to him, "if you do not tell me what it is you want, I
cannot guess it, child."
"Make haste," said Lavienne. "Do not waste other people's time."
"Monsieur," said the woman at last, turning red, and speaking so low
as only to be heard by Popinot and Lavienne, "I have a green-grocery
truck, and I have my last baby to nurse, and I owe for his keep. Well,
I had hidden my little bit of money----"
"Yes; and your man took it?" said Popinot, guessing the sequel.
"Yes, sir."
"What is your name?"
"La Pomponne."
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