| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: stands about forty miles (south something) from Paris, in the middle of a
large forest--That there is something great in it--That the king goes there
once every two or three years, with his whole court, for the pleasure of
the chace--and that, during that carnival of sporting, any English
gentleman of fashion (you need not forget yourself) may be accommodated
with a nag or two, to partake of the sport, taking care only not to out-
gallop the king--
Though there are two reasons why you need not talk loud of this to every
one.
First, Because 'twill make the said nags the harder to be got; and
Secondly, 'Tis not a word of it true.--Allons!
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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 Passionate Pilgrim by William Shakespeare: None fairer, nor none falser to deface her.
Her lips to mine how often hath she joined,
Between each kiss her oaths of true love swearing!
How many tales to please me bath she coined,
Dreading my love, the loss thereof still fearing!
Yet in the midst of all her pure protestings,
Her faith, her oaths, her tears, and all were jestings.
She burn'd with love, as straw with fire flameth;
She burn'd out love, as soon as straw outburneth;
She framed the love, and yet she foil'd the framing;
She bade love last, and yet she fell a-turning.
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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 Whirligigs by O. Henry: him or it, or his or its heirs and assigns, forever.
In those days -- and here is where the trouble began
- the state's domain was practically inexhaustible, and
the old surveyors, with princely -- yea, even Western
American -- liberality, gave good measure and over-
flowing. Often the jovial man of metes and bounds
would dispense altogether with the tripod and chain.
Mounted on a pony that could cover something near a
"vara" at a step, with a pocket compass to direct his
course, he would trot out a survey by counting the beat
of his pony's hoofs, mark his corners, and write out his
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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 Essays & Lectures by Oscar Wilde: weary of cities I would ask him to come to your fields and meadows
to watch the reaper with his sickle and the cattle-driver with
lifted lasso. For if a man cannot find the noblest motives for his
art in such simple daily things as a woman drawing water from the
well or a man leaning with his scythe, he will not find them
anywhere at all. Gods and goddesses the Greek carved because he
loved them; saint and king the Goth because he believed in them.
But you, you do not care much for Greek gods and goddesses, and you
are perfectly and entirely right; and you do not think much of
kings either, and you are quite right. But what you do love are
your own men and women, your own flowers and fields, your own hills
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