| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from War and the Future by H. G. Wells: ended doll's perambulator. (These wheels annoy me.) They are not
steely monsters; they are painted with drab and unassuming
colours that are fashionable in modern warfare, so that the
armour seems rather like the integument of a rhinoceros. At the
sides of the head project armoured checks, and from above these
stick out guns that look like stalked eyes. That is the general
appearance of the contemporary tank.
It slides on the ground; the silly little wheels that so detract
from the genial bestiality of its appearance dandle and bump
behind it. It swings about its axis. It comes to an obstacle, a
low wall let us say, or a heap of bricks, and sets to work to
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Ursula by Honore de Balzac: be present, for you can advise her."
They found Ursula studying; she rose, with a cold and dignified air,
as soon as she saw Minoret.
"My child, Monsieur Minoret wants to speak to you on a matter of
business," said Bongrand. "By the bye, don't forget to give me your
certificates; I shall go to Paris in the morning and will draw your
dividend and La Bougival's."
"Cousin," said Minoret, "our uncle accustomed you to more luxury than
you have now."
"We can be very happy with very little money," she replied.
"I thought money might help your happiness," continued Minoret, "and I
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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 Letters of Two Brides by Honore de Balzac: has a mother left for herself?
Dinner time arrives, and as a rule I have done nothing. Now comes the
problem which faces me twice every day--how to suffice in my own
person for two children, put on their bibs, turn up their sleeves, and
get them to eat. In the midst of these ever-recurring cares, joys, and
catastrophes, the only person neglected in the house is myself. If the
children have been naughty, often I don't get rid of my curl-papers
all day. Their tempers rule my toilet. As the price of a few minutes
in which I write you these half-dozen pages, I have had to let them
cut pictures out of my novels, build castles with books, chessmen, or
mother-of-pearl counters, and give Nais my silks and wools to arrange
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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 St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson: dear chimney and these green hills, and bless you from the heart,
and dedicate to you the prayers of this poor sinner. Ah! I do not
say they can avail!'
'Who can say that, M. de Saint-Yves?' she said softly. 'But I
think it is time we should be going.'
'High time,' said Ronald, whom (to say the truth) I had a little
forgotten.
On the way back, as I was laying myself out to recover lost ground
with the youth, and to obliterate, if possible, the memory of my
last and somewhat too fervent speech, who should come past us but
the major? I had to stand aside and salute as he went by, but his
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