| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Dunwich Horror by H. P. Lovecraft: authority. The final conclusion of the linguists was that the
text represented an artificial alphabet, giving the effect of
a cipher; though none of the usual methods of cryptographic solution
seemed to furnish any clue, even when applied on the basis of
every tongue the writer might conceivably have used. The ancient
books taken from Whateley's quarters, while absorbingly interesting
and in several cases promising to open up new and terrible lines
of research among philosophers and men of science, were of no
assistance whatever in this matter. One of them, a heavy tome
with an iron clasp, was in another unknown alphabet - this one
of a very different cast, and resembling Sanskrit more than anything
The Dunwich Horror |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Young Forester by Zane Grey: heedless, and in tightening the noose I ran in too close. The bear gave me
a slashing cuff on the side of the head, and I went down like a tenpin.
"Git a hitch thar--to the saplin'!" roared Hiram, as I staggered to my
feet. "Rustle now--hurry!"
What with my ringing head, and fingers all thumbs, and Hiram roaring at me,
I made a mess of tying the knot. Then Hiram let go his rope, and when the
cub dropped to the ground the rope flew up over the branch. Cubby leaped so
quickly that he jerked the rope away before Hiram could pick it up, and one
hard pull loosened my hitch on the sapling.
The cub bounded through the glade, dragging me with him. For a few long
leaps I kept my feet, then down I sprawled.
The Young Forester |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson: said. "Is that right, when Dr. Jekyll is from home?"
"Quite right, Mr. Utterson, sir," replied the servant. "Mr.
Hyde has a key."
"Your master seems to repose a great deal of trust in that
young man, Poole," resumed the other musingly.
"Yes, sir, he does indeed," said Poole. "We have all orders
to obey him."
"I do not think I ever met Mr. Hyde?" asked Utterson.
"O, dear no, sir. He never dines here," replied the butler.
"Indeed we see very little of him on this side of the house; he
mostly comes and goes by the laboratory."
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde |
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 Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: question. Business is business, and business is not carried on with
sentimentality like romances. Now to the facts. My principal's
practice is worth in his hands about twenty thousand francs per annum;
in my hands, I think it would bring in forty thousand. He is willing
to sell it for a hundred and fifty thousand francs. And HERE,' I said,
striking my forehead, 'I feel that if you would lend me the purchase-
money, I could clear it off in ten years' time.'
" 'Come, that is plain speaking,' said Daddy Gobseck, and he held out
his hand and grasped mine. 'Nobody since I have been in business has
stated the motives of his visit more clearly. Guarantees?' asked he,
scanning me from head to foot. 'None to give,' he added after a pause,
Gobseck |
