| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Catherine de Medici by Honore de Balzac: by the three /seigneurs/ coming from three different parts of the
kingdom; but she had the mortification of being courteously dismissed
by the cardinal. She then walked to the parterres which overhung the
Loire, where she was building, under the superintendence of her
astrologer, Ruggieri, an observatory, which is still standing, and
from which the eye may range over the whole landscape of that
delightful valley. The two Lorrain princes were at the other end of
the terrace, facing the Vendomois, which overlooks the upper part of
the town, the perch of the Bretons, and the postern gate of the
chateau.
Catherine had deceived the two brothers by pretending to a slight
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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 Case of the Golden Bullet by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: was the sound of music and many voices.
It was all very attractive and comfortable, and the solitary man
sat there enjoying once more the pleasant sensation of triumph, of
joy at the victory that was his alone and that would win him back
all his old friends and prestige. He was looking forward in
agreeable anticipation to the explanations he had to give, when he
suddenly started and grew pale. His eyes dimmed a moment, then he
pulled himself together and murmured: "No, no, not this time. I
will not be weak this time."
Just then the Chief entered the room, accompanied by Councillor
Kniepp.
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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 Island Nights' Entertainments by Robert Louis Stevenson: night."
"You do not mean to say you are serious about that bottle?" cried
the boatswain.
"There is the lamp," said Keawe. "Do I look as if I was jesting?"
"That is so," said the boatswain. "You look as serious as a
ghost."
"Well, then," said Keawe, "here are two centimes; you must go to my
wife in the house, and offer her these for the bottle, which (if I
am not much mistaken) she will give you instantly. Bring it to me
here, and I will buy it back from you for one; for that is the law
with this bottle, that it still must be sold for a less sum. But
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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 Aspern Papers by Henry James: soft moan, and I went on: "I only wish to heaven she had
destroyed them; then there would be nothing more to say.
And I can't understand why, with her ideas, she didn't."
"Oh, she lived on them!" said Miss Tita.
"You can imagine whether that makes me want less to see them,"
I answered, smiling. "But don't let me stand here as if I
had it in my soul to tempt you to do anything base.
Naturally you will understand if I give up my rooms.
I leave Venice immediately." And I took up my hat, which I
had placed on a chair. We were still there rather awkwardly,
on our feet, in the middle of the sala. She had left
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