| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: "What, monsieur?"
"I have a miraculous balsam for wounds--a balsam given to me by
my mother and of which I have made a trial upon myself."
"Well?"
"Well, I am sure that in less than three days this balsam would
cure you; and at the end of three days, when you would be cured--
well, sir, it would still do me a great honor to be your man."
D'Artagnan spoke these words with a simplicity that did honor to
his courtesy, without throwing the least doubt upon his courage.
"PARDIEU, monsieur!" said Athos, "that's a proposition that
pleases me; not that I can accept it, but a league off it savors
The Three Musketeers |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Straight Deal by Owen Wister: but convoyed, by British vessels, largely withdrawn for that purpose from
such vital service as the supply of food to Britain's civil population?"
The omission on the part of our Secretary of the Navy was later quietly
rectified by an official publication of the British Government, wherein
it appeared that some sixty per cent of our troops were transported in
British ships. Our Secretary's regrettable slight to our British allies
was immediately set right by Admiral Sims, who forthwith, both in public
and in private, paid full and appreciative tribute to what had been done.
It is, nevertheless, very likely that some Americans will learn here for
the first time that more than half of our troops were not transported by
ourselves, and could not have been transported at all but for British
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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 Symposium by Plato: I need not say Socrates himself, have had experience of the same madness
and passion in your longing after wisdom. Therefore listen and excuse my
doings then and my sayings now. But let the attendants and other profane
and unmannered persons close up the doors of their ears.
When the lamp was put out and the servants had gone away, I thought that I
must be plain with him and have no more ambiguity. So I gave him a shake,
and I said: 'Socrates, are you asleep?' 'No,' he said. 'Do you know what
I am meditating? 'What are you meditating?' he said. 'I think,' I
replied, 'that of all the lovers whom I have ever had you are the only one
who is worthy of me, and you appear to be too modest to speak. Now I feel
that I should be a fool to refuse you this or any other favour, and
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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 Europeans by Henry James: of looking at those aberrations which had led to the young man's
compulsory retirement from the neighboring seat of learning.
Acton had seen the world, as he said to himself; he had been
to China and had knocked about among men. He had learned
the essential difference between a nice young fellow and a mean
young fellow, and was satisfied that there was no harm in Clifford.
He believed--although it must be added that he had not quite
the courage to declare it--in the doctrine of wild oats,
and thought it a useful preventive of superfluous fears.
If Mr. Wentworth and Charlotte and Mr. Brand would
only apply it in Clifford's case, they would be happier;
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