| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Father Sergius by Leo Tolstoy: Pashenka--do you take part in Church life?'
'Oh, don't speak of it. I am so bad that way, and have neglected
it so! I keep the fasts with the children and sometimes go to
church, and then again sometimes I don't go for months. I only
send the children.'
'But why don't you go yourself?'
'To tell the truth' (she blushed) 'I am ashamed, for my
daughter's sake and the children's, to go there in tattered
clothes, and I haven't anything else. Besides, I am just lazy.'
'And do you pray at home?'
'I do. But what sort of prayer is it? Only mechanical. I know
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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 Sportsman by Xenophon: and short for the opposite reason during summer. In winter, however,
their scent does not lie in early morning, when the rime is on the
ground, or earth is frozen.[1] The fact is, hoar frost by its own
inherent force absorbs its heat, whilst black frost freezes it.[2]
[1] Or, "when there is hoar frost or black frost" (lit. "ice").
[2] Or, "the ice congeals them," "encases as it were in itself the
heat," i.e. the warm scent; aliter, "causes the tracks to freeze
at the top."
The hounds, moreover, with their noses nipped by the cold,[3] cannot
under these conditions[4] use their sense of smell, until the sun or
the mere advance of day dissolves the scent. Then the noses of the
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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 Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey: sheer impotent folly, he swept a clawing hand for his gun.
Duane's shot broke his action.
Before Lawson ever tottered, before he loosed the gun,
Longstreth leaped behind him, clasped him with left arm, quick
as lightning jerked the gun from both clutching fingers and
sheath. Longstreth protected himself with the body of the dead
man. Duane saw red flashes, puffs of smoke; he heard quick
reports. Something stung his left arm. Then a blow like wind,
light of sound yet shocking in impact, struck him, staggered
him. The hot rend of lead followed the blow. Duane's heart
seemed to explode, yet his mind kept extraordinarily clear and
The Lone Star Ranger |
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 In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: He waved his spoon airily, looking across at me as though I were a little
child whom he would keep or dismiss as he pleased.
"We certainly do not want Germany," I said.
"This morning I took a half bath. Then this afternoon I must take a knee
bath and an arm bath," volunteered the Herr Rat; "then I do my exercises
for an hour, and my work is over. A glass of wine and a couple of rolls
with some sardines--"
They were handed cherry cake with whipped cream.
"What is your husband's favourite meat?" asked the Widow.
"I really do not know," I answered.
"You really do not know? How long have you been married?"
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