| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Beauty and The Beast by Bayard Taylor: considerable distance. The wild flowers are all strangers to me;
I wish I knew something about them."
"If thee's fond of flowers, it would be very easy to learn. I
think a study of this kind would pleasantly occupy thy mind. Why
couldn't thee try? I would be very willing to teach thee what
little I know. It's not much, indeed, but all thee wants is a
start. See, I will show thee how simple the principles are."
Taking one of the flowers from the bunch, Asenath, as they slowly
walked forward, proceeded to dissect it, explained the mysteries of
stamens and pistils, pollen, petals, and calyx, and, by the time
they had reached the village, had succeeded in giving him a general
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Off on a Comet by Jules Verne: with the Frenchman upon whose features he was gazing; he only grew
more and more convinced that he had once been familiar with them.
Perhaps it was not altogether surprising that he had almost
forgotten him; he had never seen him since the days of his youth,
that time of life which, with a certain show of justice, has been
termed the age of ingratitude; for, in point of fact, the astronomer
was none other than Professor Palmyrin Rosette, Servadac's old
science-master at the Lycee Charle-magne.
After completing his year of elementary studies, Hector Servadac had
entered the school at Saint Cyr, and from that time he and his former
tutor had never met, so that naturally they would well-nigh pass from
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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 Helen of Troy And Other Poems by Sara Teasdale: over the parapet. Faint cries and laughter from men and women
under the tower.)
Men and Women.
The veil, the lady's veil!
(The knight takes the lady in his arms.)
L.
My lord, I pray you loose me from your arms
Lest that my people see how much we love.
K.
May they not see us? All of them have loved.
L.
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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 Mad King by Edgar Rice Burroughs: in their conversation, yet the king's next words took up the
thread of their argument where it had broken.
"You speak as though I had no right to do it," he snapped.
"One might think that you were the king from the manner
with which you upbraid and reproach me. I tell you, Prince
von der Tann, that I shall stand it no longer."
The king approached the desk and pounded heavily upon
its polished surface with his fist. The physical act of vio-
lence imparted to him a certain substitute for the moral
courage which he lacked.
"I will tell you, sir, that I am king. It was not necessary
The Mad King |
