| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Heritage of the Desert by Zane Grey: no sand-strip to trap her. But Hare could not kill the rustler while he
was sleeping; and he could not awaken him without revealing to his men
the escape of the girl. Hare stood there on the bench, gazing down on
the blanketed Holderness. Why not kill him now, ending forever his
power, and trust to chance for the rest? No, no! Hare flung the
temptation from him. To ward off pursuit as long as possible, to aid
Mescal in every way to some safe hiding-place, and then to seek
Holderness--that was the forethought of a man who had learned to wait.
Under the dark projection of the upper cliff Hare felt his way to the
cedar slope, and the trail, and then he went swiftly down into the little
hollow where he had left Bolly. The darkness of the forest hindered him,
The Heritage of the Desert |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Another Study of Woman by Honore de Balzac: these things down in all their natural freshness and abruptness, their
elusive divarications, you may perhaps feel the charm of a real French
evening, taken at the moment when the most engaging familiarity makes
each one forget his own interests, his personal conceit, or, if you
like, his pretensions.
At about two in the morning, as supper ended, no one was left sitting
round the table but intimate friends, proved by intercourse of fifteen
years, and some persons of great taste and good breeding, who knew the
world. By tacit agreement, perfectly carried out, at supper every one
renounced his pretensions to importance. Perfect equality set the
tone. But indeed there was no one present who was not very proud 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 Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: servant my father from that cruel bondage of the devil. Show him
full clearly that thou art the ever living true God, and only
King, eternal and immortal. Behold, O Lord, with favourable and
kindly eye, the contrition of my heart; and, according to thine
unerring promise, be with me that acknowledge and confess thee
the Maker and protector of all creation. Let there be a well of
water within me springing up, and let utterance be given unto me
that I may open my mouth, and a mind well fixed in thee, the
chief corner-stone, that I, thine unprofitable servant, may be
enabled to preach to my father, as is right, the mystery of thine
Incarnation, and by thy power deliver him from the vain deceit of
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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 Nada the Lily by H. Rider Haggard: trade and let others find you wit."
Thus she spoke without ceasing, and there was some truth in her words.
Zinita had a bitter tongue. I sat silent till she had finished, and
Umslopogaas also remained silent, though his anger was great, because
there was no crack in her talk through which a man might thrust a
word.
"Peace, woman!" I said at length, "do not speak ill of those who are
wise and who had seen much before you were born."
"Speak no ill of him who is my father," growled Umslopogaas. "Ay!
though you do not know it, this Mouth whom you revile is Mopo, my
father."
Nada the Lily |
