| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Padre Ignacio by Owen Wister: with him face to face, and in his spirit, deep down, the love of the
world was restlessly answering it. Young Gaston showed more eagerness
than the Padre over this arrival of the vessel that might be bringing
Trovatore in the nick of time. Now he would have the chance, before he
took his leave, to help rehearse the new music with the choir. He would
be a missionary, too: a perfectly new experience.
"And you still forgive Verdi the sins of his youth?" he said to his host.
"I wonder if you could forgive mine?"
"Verdi has left his behind him," retorted the Padre.
"But I am only twenty-five!" exclaimed Gaston, pathetically.
"Ah, don't go away soon!" pleaded the exile. It was the first unconcealed
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tom Sawyer, Detective by Mark Twain: an excitement. You couldn't make anything out of the face,
but you didn't need to. Everybody said:
"Poor Jubiter; it's his clothes, to the last rag!"
Some rushed off to spread the news and tell the justice
of the peace and have an inquest, and me and Tom lit out
for the house. Tom was all afire and 'most out of breath
when we come tearing in where Uncle Silas and Aunt Sally
and Benny was. Tom sung out:
"Me and Huck's found Jubiter Dunlap's corpse all by ourselves
with a bloodhound, after everybody else had quit hunting
and given it up; and if it hadn't a been for us it never
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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 Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson: VAILIMA, JANUARY 15TH, 1894.
MY DEAR BAILDON, - Last mail brought your book and its Dedication.
'Frederick Street and the gardens, and the short-lived Jack o'
Lantern,' are again with me - and the note of the east wind, and
Froebel's voice, and the smell of soup in Thomson's stair. Truly,
you had no need to put yourself under the protection of any other
saint, were that saint our Tamate himself! Yourself were enough,
and yourself coming with so rich a sheaf.
For what is this that you say about the Muses? They have certainly
never better inspired you than in 'Jael and Sisera,' and 'Herodias
and John the Baptist,' good stout poems, fiery and sound. ''Tis
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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 Fisherman's Luck by Henry van Dyke: Ah, my little Barney, you have gone to follow a new stream,--clear
as crystal,--flowing through fields of wonderful flowers that never
fade. It is a strange river to Teddy and me; strange and very far
away. Some day we shall see it with you; and you will teach us the
names of those blossoms that do not wither. But till then, little
Barney, the other lad and I will follow the old stream that flows by
the woodland fireplace,--your altar.
Rue grows here. Yes, there is plenty of rue. But there is also
rosemary, that ‘s for remembrance! And close beside it I see a
little heart’s-ease.
A SLUMBER SONG
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