| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Boys' Life of Abraham Lincoln by Helen Nicolay: weeks before to City Point for a visit to General Grant, and to
his son, Captain Robert Lincoln, who was serving on Grant's
staff. Making his home on the steamer that brought him, and
enjoying what was probably the most restful and satisfactory
holiday in which he had been able to indulge during his whole
presidential service, he had visited the various camps of the
great army, in company with the General, cheered everywhere by
the loving greetings of the soldiers. He had met Sherman when
that commander hurried up fresh from his victorious march from
Atlanta; and after Grant had started on his final pursuit of Lee
the President still lingered. It was at City Point that the news
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Youth by Joseph Conrad: imagination of it! To me she was not an old rattle-trap
carting about the world a lot of coal for a freight--to
me she was the endeavor, the test, the trial of life. I
think of her with pleasure, with affection, with regret--
as you would think of someone dead you have loved. I
shall never forget her. . . . Pass the bottle.
"One night when tied to the mast, as I explained, we
were pumping on, deafened with the wind, and without
spirit enough in us to wish ourselves dead, a heavy sea
crashed aboard and swept clean over us. As soon as I
got my breath I shouted, as in duty bound, 'Keep on,
Youth |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Tales of the Klondyke by Jack London: was feasted at the Barracks by Constantine and his brother
officers. And then, one day, Devereaux, the government courier,
halted his tired dogs before the gold commissioner's office.
Dead? Who said so? Give him a moose steak and he'd show them how
dead he was. Why, Governor Walsh was in camp on the Little
Salmon, and O'Brien coming in on the first water. Dead? Give him
a moose steak and he'd show them.
And forthwith Dawson hummed. The Barracks' flag rose to the
masthead, and Bettles' wife washed herself and put on clean
raiment. The community subtly signified its desire that Montana
Kid obliterate himself from the landscape. And Montana Kid
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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 Alcibiades I by Plato: allow any pleasure to be lord over him, that he may be accustomed to be a
freeman and king indeed,--lord of himself first, and not a slave; the most
valiant trains him to be bold and fearless, telling him that if he fears he
is to deem himself a slave; whereas Pericles gave you, Alcibiades, for a
tutor Zopyrus the Thracian, a slave of his who was past all other work. I
might enlarge on the nurture and education of your rivals, but that would
be tedious; and what I have said is a sufficient sample of what remains to
be said. I have only to remark, by way of contrast, that no one cares
about your birth or nurture or education, or, I may say, about that of any
other Athenian, unless he has a lover who looks after him. And if you cast
an eye on the wealth, the luxury, the garments with their flowing trains,
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