| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Long Odds by H. Rider Haggard: are the scars of it to this day!"
Here Quatermain held up his right hand to the light and showed us four
or five white cicatrices just where the wrist is set into the hand.
"But it was not of the slightest use," he went on, "the cartridge would
not move. I only hope that no other man will ever be put in such an
awful position. The lioness gathered herself together, and I gave
myself up for lost, when suddenly Tom shouted out from somewhere in my
rear--
"'You are walking on to the wounded cub; turn to the right.'
"I had the sense, dazed as I was, to take the hint, and slewing round at
right-angles, but still keeping my eyes on the lioness, I continued my
Long Odds |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Second Home by Honore de Balzac: other hand than mine."
"You caught me playing the spy," said the Count. "Whether on foot or
in a carriage, and at whatever hour of the night I may come by, I have
for some time past observed at a window on the third floor of your
house the shadow of a person who seems to work with heroic constancy."
The Count paused as if he felt some sudden pain. "And I take as great
an interest in that garret," he went on, "as a citizen of Paris must
feel in the finishing of the Palais Royal."
"Well," said Horace Bianchon eagerly, "I can tell you--"
"Tell me nothing," replied Granville, cutting the doctor short. "I
would not give a centime to know whether the shadow that moves across
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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 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne: Look! just now, it is ten o'clock in the morning."
"Exactly."
"Another application of electricity. This dial hanging in front of us
indicates the speed of the Nautilus. An electric thread puts it in
communication with the screw, and the needle indicates the real speed.
Look! now we are spinning along with a uniform speed of fifteen
miles an hour."
"It is marvelous! And I see, Captain, you were right to make use
of this agent that takes the place of wind, water, and steam."
"We have not finished, M. Aronnax," said Captain Nemo, rising.
"If you will allow me, we will examine the stern of the Nautilus."
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea |
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 Twilight Land by Howard Pyle: world he could not enjoy. He found friends by the dozens and
scores, and everybody seemed to be very fond of him.
He asked no questions of the Talisman of Solomon, for to his mind
there was no need of being both wise and rich. So he began
enjoying himself with his new friends. Day and night there was
feasting and drinking and singing and dancing and merrymaking and
carousing; and the money that the old man had made by trading and
wise living poured out like water through a sieve.
Then, one day came an end to all this junketing, and nothing
remained to the young spend-thrift of all the wealth that his
father had left him. Then the officers of the law came down upon
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