| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Silverado Squatters by Robert Louis Stevenson: interrupted, drew out to the greater length; hour melted
insensibly into hour; the household duties, though they were
many, and some of them laborious, dwindled into mere islets
of business in a sea of sunny day-time; and it appears to me,
looking back, as though the far greater part of our life at
Silverado had been passed, propped upon an elbow, or seated
on a plank, listening to the silence that there is among the
hills.
My work, it is true, was over early in the morning. I rose
before any one else, lit the stove, put on the water to boil,
and strolled forth upon the platform to wait till it was
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Wyoming by William MacLeod Raine: That sunburned, nonchalant youth laughed musically. "Sure thing.
I'd hate to be left out. The only difference is--"
"Well?"
His roving eye circled blandly round. "I stand about one show in
a million. Y'u roughnecks are dead ones already."
With which cold comfort he sauntered away to join Miss Messiter
and the foreman, who now appeared together at the door of the
ranchhouse, prepared to make a tour of the buildings and the
immediate corrals.
"Isn't there a woman on the place?" she was asking Morgan.
"No'm, there ain't. Henderson's daughter would come and stay with
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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 The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: pain prevented my continuing the pious exercise."
"That's the first time I ever heard of anybody trying to cure
gunshot wounds with cat-o'-nine-tails; but you were ill, and
illness renders the head weak, therefore you may be excused."
"When do you mean to set out?"
"Tomorrow at daybreak. Sleep as soundly as you can tonight, and
tomorrow, if you can, we will take our departure together."
"Till tomorrow, then," said Aramis; "for iron-nerved as you are,
you must need repose."
The next morning, when D'Artagnan entered Aramis's chamber, he
found him at the window.
The Three Musketeers |
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 A Princess of Parms by Edgar Rice Burroughs: and fell upon the floor doubled up with pain and gasping
for wind. Leaping over his prostrate body, I seized the cudgel
and finished the monster before he could regain his feet.
As I delivered the blow a low laugh rang out behind me,
and, turning, I beheld Tars Tarkas, Sola, and three or four
warriors standing in the doorway of the chamber. As my eyes
met theirs I was, for the second time, the recipient of their
zealously guarded applause.
My absence had been noted by Sola on her awakening, and
she had quickly informed Tars Tarkas, who had set out
immediately with a handful of warriors to search for me.
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