| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: Trail him like a bloodhound, and when you find him remember my broken heart,
remember Nell, remember, oh, God! remember poor Kate!"
Young's voice broke into dry sobs. He had completely exhausted himself, so
that he was forced to lean against the tree for support.
Wetzel spoke never a word. He stretched out his long, brawny arm and gripped
the young missionary's shoulder. His fingers clasped hard. Simple, without
words as the action was, it could not have been more potent. And then, as he
stood, the softer look faded slowly from his face. A ripple seemed to run over
his features, which froze, as it subsided, into a cold, stone rigidity.
His arm dropped; he stepped past the tree, and, bounding lightly as a deer,
cleared the creek and disappeared in the bushes.
The Spirit of the Border |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Pericles by William Shakespeare: CLEON.
The which when any shall not gratify,
Or pay you with unthankfulness in thought,
Be it our wives, our children, or ourselves,
The curse of heaven and men succeed their evils!
Till when, -- the which I hope shall ne'er be seen, --
Your grace is welcome to our town and us.
PERICLES.
Which welcome we'll accept; feast here awhile,
Until our stars that frown lend us a smile.
[Exeunt.]
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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 Euthydemus by Plato: He assented.
And you say that gentlemen speak of things as they are?
Yes.
Then the good speak evil of evil things, if they speak of them as they are?
Yes, indeed, he said; and they speak evil of evil men. And if I may give
you a piece of advice, you had better take care that they do not speak evil
of you, since I can tell you that the good speak evil of the evil.
And do they speak great things of the great, rejoined Euthydemus, and warm
things of the warm?
To be sure they do, said Ctesippus; and they speak coldly of the insipid
and cold dialectician.
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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 The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: to force them."
Most of the prisoners were already hacking at their bonds with
the swords in their hands. The yellow men were battering at the
door with javelins and axes.
I turned my attention to the chains that held Tardos Mors.
Again and again I cut deep into the metal with my sharp blade,
but ever faster and faster fell the torrent of blows upon the portal.
At last a link parted beneath my efforts, and a moment later
The Warlord of Mars |
