| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Works of Samuel Johnson by Samuel Johnson: heroick and tender sentiments, he protested, that
"she was beautiful as the vernal willow, and
fragrant as the thyme upon the mountains; that her
fingers were white as the teeth of the morse, and
her smile grateful as the dissolution of the ice; that
he would pursue her, though she should pass the
snows of the midland cliffs, or seek shelter in the
caves of the eastern cannibals: that he would tear
her from the embraces of the genius of the rocks,
snatch her from the paws of Amarock, and rescue
her from the ravine of Hafgufa." He concluded
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Ann Veronica by H. G. Wells: or care for them. Then she realized that it was her business to
let Manning talk and impose his own interpretations upon the
situation so far as he was concerned. She did her best to do
this. But about his unknown rival he was acutely curious.
He made her tell him the core of the difficulty.
"I cannot say who he is," said Ann Veronica, "but he is a married
man. . . . No! I do not even know that he cares for me. It is
no good going into that. Only I just want him. I just want him,
and no one else will do. It is no good arguing about a thing
like that."
"But you thought you could forget him."
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom by William and Ellen Craft: I quickly replied, "Yes, sir" (which was quite
correct). The tickets were handed out, and as my
master was paying for them the chief man said to
him, "I wish you to register your name here, sir,
and also the name of your nigger, and pay a dollar
duty on him."
My master paid the dollar, and pointing to the
hand that was in the poultice, requested the officer
to register his name for him. This seemed to
offend the "high-bred" South Carolinian. He
jumped up, shaking his head; and, cramming his
 Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom |
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 Records of a Family of Engineers by Robert Louis Stevenson: of the Bell Rock works, on which he was consulted as chief
engineer.
[Tuesday, 6th Oct.]
The artificers landed this morning at nine, after which
one of the boats returned to the ship for the writer and
Messrs. Rennie, who, upon landing, were saluted with a display
of the colours from the beacon and by three cheers from the
workmen. Everything was now in a prepared state for leaving
the rock, and giving up the works afloat for this season,
excepting some small articles, which would still occupy the
smiths and joiners for a few days longer. They accordingly
|