| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Call of Cthulhu by H. P. Lovecraft: such half-castes and pariahs as might be least expected to possess
it.
On November 1st, 1907, there had come to the New Orleans
police a frantic summons from the swamp and lagoon country to
the south. The squatters there, mostly primitive but good-natured
descendants of Lafitte's men, were in the grip of stark terror
from an unknown thing which had stolen upon them in the night.
It was voodoo, apparently, but voodoo of a more terrible sort
than they had ever known; and some of their women and children
had disappeared since the malevolent tom-tom had begun its incessant
beating far within the black haunted woods where no dweller ventured.
Call of Cthulhu |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Footnote to History by Robert Louis Stevenson: the accused like a thunderbolt. There is no need to suppose
perfidy, where a careless interpreter suffices to explain all; but
the six chiefs claim to have understood their coming to Apia as an
act of submission merely formal, that they came in fact under an
implied indemnity, and that the president stood pledged to see them
scatheless. Already, on their way from the court-house, they were
tumultuously surrounded by friends and clansmen, who pressed and
cried upon them to escape; Lieutenant Ulfsparre must order his men
to load; and with that the momentary effervescence died away. Next
day, Saturday, 5th, the chief justice took his departure from the
islands - a step never yet explained and (in view of the doings of
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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 An Unsocial Socialist by George Bernard Shaw: Brandon.
"Miss Wylie," said Erskine, springing up, "he gave me his word
that he would not go by that train when I told him Miss Lindsay
was going by it. He has broken his word and seized the
opportunity I was mad and credulous enough to tell him of. If I
had been in your place, Brandon, I would have strangled him or
thrown him under the wheels sooner than let him go. He has shown
himself in this as in everything else, a cheat, a conspirator, a
man of crooked ways, shifts, tricks, lying sophistries, heartless
selfishness, cruel cynicism--" He stopped to catch his breath,
and Sir Charles interposed a remonstrance.
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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 Plain Tales from the Hills by Rudyard Kipling: altogether pleased. He told the Venus Annodomini that his father
was coming up, and she flushed a little and said that she should be
delighted to make his acquaintance. Then she looked long and
thoughtfully at "Very Young" Gayerson; because she was very, very
sorry for him, and he was a very, very big idiot.
"My daughter is coming out in a fortnight, Mr. Gayerson," she said.
"Your WHAT?" said he.
"Daughter," said the Venus Annodomini. "She's been out for a year
at Home already, and I want her to see a little of India. She is
nineteen and a very sensible, nice girl I believe."
"Very Young" Gayerson, who was a short twenty-two years old, nearly
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