| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Mountains by Stewart Edward White: at once they grew dim, faded in the thickness of
atmosphere, lost themselves in the mantle of heat that lay
palpable and brown like a shimmering changing veil,
hiding the distance in mystery and in dread. It was
a land apart; a land to be looked on curiously from
the vantage-ground of safety,--as we were looking
on it from the shoulder of the mountain,--and then
to be turned away from, to be left waiting behind
its brown veil for what might come. To abandon
the high country, deliberately to cut loose from the
known, deliberately to seek the presence that lay
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Vendetta by Honore de Balzac: was casting glances at that chair,--glances full of thoughts, crowding
one upon another like remorse,--for the empty chair was Ginevra's.
Elisa Piombo watched the expressions that now began to cross her
husband's pallid face. Though long accustomed to divine his feelings
from the changeful agitations of his face, they seemed to-night so
threatening, and anon so melancholy that she felt she could no longer
read a soul that was now incomprehensible, even to her.
Would Bartolomeo yield, at last, to the memories awakened by that
chair? Had he been shocked to see a stranger in that chair, used for
the first time since his daughter left him? Had the hour of his mercy
struck,--that hour she had vainly prayed and waited for till now?
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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 Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson: party," answered Dick. "Were he still living - as I vow to Heaven
I wish it! - he would praise, not blame me."
"Sir Daniel hath told me," she replied. "He marked you at the
barricade. Upon you, he saith, their party foundered; it was you
that won the battle. Well, then, it was you that killed my good
Lord Risingham, as sure as though ye had strangled him. And ye
would have me eat with you - and your hands not washed from
killing? But Sir Daniel hath sworn your downfall. He 'tis that
will avenge me!"
The unfortunate Dick was plunged in gloom. Old Arblaster returned
upon his mind, and he groaned aloud.
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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 Moon-Face and Other Stories by Jack London: turns. No amateur gets paid. The idea is ridiculous. However, here's fifty
cents. It will pay your sister's car fare also. And,"--very
suavely,--"speaking for the Loops, permit me to thank you for the kind and
successful contribution of your services."
That afternoon, true to her promise to Max Irwin, she placed her typewritten
copy into his hands. And while he ran over it, he nodded his head from time to
time, and maintained a running fire of commendatory remarks: "Good!--that's
it!--that's the stuff!--psychology's all right!--the very idea!--you've caught
it!--excellent!--missed it a bit here, but it'll go--that's vigorous!
--strong!--vivid!--pictures! pictures!--excellent!--most excellent!"
And when he had run down to the bottom of the last page, holding out his hand:
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