| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Land that Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs: a hereafter and a holier state. It was a brilliant theory, but
it was all wrong. I know it now, and how far we were from
guessing the wonderful, the miraculous, the gigantic truth which
even yet I may only guess at--the thing that sets Caspak apart
from all the rest of the world far more definitely than her
isolated geographical position or her impregnable barrier of
giant cliffs. If I could live to return to civilization, I
should have meat for the clergy and the layman to chew upon for
years--and for the evolutionists, too.
After breakfast the men set out to hunt, while the women went to
a large pool of warm water covered with a green scum and filled
The Land that Time Forgot |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Complete Poems of Longfellow by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Don C. Impossible! The Count of Lara tells me
She is not virtuous.
Hyp. Did I say she was?
The Roman Emperor Claudius had a wife
Whose name was Messalina, as I think;
Valeria Messalina was her name.
But hist! I see him yonder through the trees,
Walking as in a dream.
Don C. He comes this way.
Hyp. It has been truly said by some wise man,
That money, grief, and love cannot be hidden.
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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 Another Study of Woman by Honore de Balzac: enough always to keep you waiting. In her house you will find
everything in good taste; her luxury is for hourly use, and duly
renewed; you will see nothing under glass shades, no rags of wrappings
hanging about, and looking like a pantry. You will find the staircase
warmed. Flowers on all sides will charm your sight--flowers, the only
gift she accepts, and those only from certain people, for nosegays
live but a day; they give pleasure, and must be replaced; to her they
are, as in the East, a symbol and a promise. The costly toys of
fashion lie about, but not so as to suggest a museum or a curiosity
shop. You will find her sitting by the fire in a low chair, from which
she will not rise to greet you. Her talk will not now be what it was
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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 Black Beauty by Anna Sewell: "All right, gentlemen, pray stay in as long as it suits you;
I can wait while you rest yourselves." And turning his back upon them
he walked up to the young woman, who was standing near me.
"They'll soon be gone," he said, laughing; "don't trouble yourself, my dear."
And they soon were gone, for when they understood Jerry's dodge they got out,
calling him all sorts of bad names and blustering about his number
and getting a summons. After this little stoppage we were soon on our way
to the hospital, going as much as possible through by-streets.
Jerry rung the great bell and helped the young woman out.
"Thank you a thousand times," she said; "I could never have got here alone."
"You're kindly welcome, and I hope the dear child will soon be better."
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