| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Heroes by Charles Kingsley: one a horse, another a shawl, or a ring, or a sword; and
those who had nothing better brought a basket of grapes, or
of game; but Perseus brought nothing, for he had nothing to
bring, being but a poor sailor-lad.
He was ashamed, however, to go into the king's presence
without his gift; and he was too proud to ask Dictys to lend
him one. So he stood at the door sorrowfully, watching the
rich men go in; and his face grew very red as they pointed at
him, and smiled, and whispered, 'What has that foundling to
give?'
Now this was what Polydectes wanted; and as soon as he heard
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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 Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas: amazement.
"Well, then," his Highness quietly remarked, "now I know
what to believe with regard to Mynheer Bowelt's honesty and
courage: he has neither the one nor the other."
Then, looking with a steady glance after the crowd which was
rushing along before him, he continued, --
"Let us now go to the Buytenhof, Captain; I expect we shall
see a very strange sight there."
The officer bowed, and, without making any reply, followed
in the steps of his master.
There was an immense crowd in the square and about the
The Black Tulip |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Mad King by Edgar Rice Burroughs: were she to know that he was Barney Custer, might betray
them; no, it was better to leave her in ignorance, though
his conscience pricked him for the disloyalty that his act
implied.
It seemed a poor return for her courage and loyalty to
him that her statement to the man she thought king had
revealed. He marveled that a Von der Tann could have
spoken those words--a Von der Tann who but the day be-
fore had refused to save her father's life at the loss of the
family honor. It seemed incredible to the American that he
had won such love from such a woman. Again came the
The Mad King |
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 Country Doctor by Honore de Balzac: dwelling was brought out into strong relief by the sombre width of
background. At that hour of the day, the air was fragrant with the
scents from the hillsides and the perfume from La Fosseuse's garden.
The sky overhead was clear and serene, but low clouds hung on the
horizon, and the far-off peaks had begun to take the deep rose hues
that the sunset often brings. At the height which they had reached the
whole valley lay before their eyes, from distant Grenoble to the
little lake at the foot of the circle of crags by which Genestas had
passed on the previous day. Some little distance above the house a
line of poplars on the hill indicated the highway that led to
Grenoble. Rays of sunlight fell slantwise across the little town which
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