| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from In the Cage by Henry James: produced, on the whole subject, from day to day, an amount of
information that excited her wonder and even, not a little, as she
frankly let him know, her disdain. When she thought of the danger
in which another pair of lovers rapturously lived she enquired of
him anew why he could leave nothing to chance. Then she got for
answer that this profundity was just his pride, and he pitted
Ramsgate against Bournemouth and even Boulogne against Jersey--for
he had great ideas--with all the mastery of detail that was some
day, professionally, to carry him afar.
The longer the time since she had seen Captain Everard the more she
was booked, as she called it, to pass Park Chambers; and this was
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Beauty and The Beast by Bayard Taylor: You have dishonored and disgraced me; I am ashamed to look my
neighbors in the face. Was ever a man so treated?"
The serfs hung down their heads, feeling somehow responsible for
their master's misery. Some of them wept, out of a stupid sympathy
with his tears.
All at once he sprang down from the cask, crying in a gay,
triumphant tone,--
"I have it! Bring me Crop-Ear. He's the fellow for a reisak,--
he can make three, one after another."
One of the boldest ventured to suggest that Crop-Ear had been sent
away in disgrace to another of the Prince's estates.
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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 Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz by L. Frank Baum: Country of the Mangaboos."
"Dreadful creatures!" exclaimed the woman's voice. "I've heard of them."
"They walled us up in a mountain," continued the Wizard; "but we found
there was a tunnel through to this side, so we came here. It is a
beautiful place. What do you call it?"
"It is the Valley of Voe."
"Thank you. We have seen no people since we arrived, so we came to
this house to enquire our way."
"Are you hungry?" asked the woman's voice.
"I could eat something," said Dorothy.
"So could I," added Zeb.
Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz |
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 Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain: "that is," he added significantly, "in the field of honor."
Elsewhere, of course, he would be ready. Wilson tried to
convince him that if he had been present himself when Angelo told
him about the homicide committed by Luigi, he would not have
considered the act discreditable to Luigi; but the obstinate old
man was not to be moved.
Wilson went back to his principal and reported the failure
of his mission. Luigi was incensed, and asked how it could be
that the old gentleman, who was by no means dull-witted, held his
trifling nephew's evidence in inferences to be of more value than Wilson's.
But Wilson laughed, and said:
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