| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Blix by Frank Norris: them into what was either the parlor, office, or sitting-room of
the station, and left them with the words:
"Just make yourselves comfortable here, an' I'll go fetch the
little woman."
No sooner had he gone than the two turned to each other.
"Well!"
"WELL!"
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey: The bitter question seemed to start a strange iciness that
stole along his veins. What was wrong with him? He stirred the
few sticks of mesquite into a last flickering blaze. He was
cold, and for some reason he wanted some light. The black
circle of darkness weighed down upon him, closed in around him.
Suddenly he sat bolt upright and then froze in that position.
He had heard a step. It was behind him--no--on the side. Some
one was there. He forced his hand down to his gun, and the
touch of cold steel was another icy shock. Then he waited. But
all was silent--silent as only a wilderness arroyo can be, with
its low murmuring of wind in the mesquite. Had he heard a step?
The Lone Star Ranger |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner: further conversation, appeared slightly mollified; but remained firm to her
conviction that the man's designs were evil.
"For, dear Lord!" she cried; "all Englishmen are ugly; but was there ever
such a red-rag-nosed thing with broken boots and crooked eyes before? Take
him to your room," she cried to the German; "but all the sin he does I lay
at your door."
The German having told him how matters were arranged, the stranger made a
profound bow to Tant Sannie and followed his host, who led the way to his
own little room.
"I thought she would come to her better self soon," the German said
joyously. "Tant Sannie is not wholly bad, far from it, far." Then seeing
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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 The Travels of Sir John Mandeville by Sir John Mandeville: good isle and a plenteous. And many other isles be thereabout,
where there be many of diverse folk, of the which it were too long
to speak of all.
But fast beside that isle, for to pass by sea, is a great isle and
a great country that men clepe Java. And it is nigh two thousand
mile in circuit. And the king of that country is a full great lord
and a rich and a mighty, and hath under him seven other kings of
seven other isles about him. This isle is full well inhabited, and
full well manned. There grow all manner of spicery, more
plenteously than in any other country, as of ginger, cloves-
gilofre, canell, seedwall, nutmegs and maces. And wit well, that
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