| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Ivanhoe by Walter Scott: upon him. ``Gurth!'' answered Wamba, with the
same caution, and the swineherd immediately stood
before him.
``What is the matter?'' said he eagerly; ``what
mean these cries, and that clashing of swords?''
``Only a trick of the times,'' said Wamba; ``they
are all prisoners.''
``Who are prisoners?'' exclaimed Gurth, impatiently.
``My lord, and my lady, and Athelstane, and
Hundibert, and Oswald.''
``In the name of God!'' said Gurth, ``how came
Ivanhoe |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Camille by Alexandre Dumas: "So much as that?"
I had gone too far to draw back; and I was really carried away.
This mingling of gaiety, sadness, candour, prostitution, her very
malady, which no doubt developed in her a sensitiveness to
impressions, as well as an irritability of nerves, all this made
it clear to me that if from the very beginning I did not
completely dominate her light and forgetful nature, she was lost
to me.
"Come, now, do you seriously mean what you say?" she said.
"Seriously."
"But why didn't you say it to me sooner?"
Camille |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: well-builded house, and his own country, late may he come
in evil case, with the loss of all his company, in the ship
of strangers, and find sorrows in his house."
'So he spake in prayer, and the god of the dark locks heard
him. And once again he lifted a stone, far greater than the
first, and with one swing he hurled it, and he put forth a
measureless strength, and cast it but a little space behind
the dark-prowed ship, and all but struck the end of the
rudder. And the sea heaved beneath the fall of the rock,
but the wave bare on the ship and drave it to the further
shore.
The Odyssey |
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 Democracy In America, Volume 2 by Alexis de Toqueville: and his peers some honorable recollections of military life; but
his principal object is not to obtain by that profession either
property, distinction, or power, for he possesses these
advantages in his own right, and enjoys them without leaving his
home.
In democratic armies all the soldiers may become officers,
which makes the desire of promotion general, and immeasurably
extends the bounds of military ambition. The officer, on his
part, sees nothing which naturally and necessarily stops him at
one grade more than at another; and each grade has immense
importance in his eyes, because his rank in society almost always
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