| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Polity of Athenians and Lacedaemonians by Xenophon: consider the number of cases they have to decide--what with private
suits and public causes and scrutinies of accounts, etc., more than
the whole of the rest of mankind put together; while the senate has
multifarious points to advise upon concerning peace and war,[5]
concerning ways and means, concerning the framing and passing of
laws,[6] and concerning the thousand and one matters affecting the
state perpetually occurring, and endless questions touching the
allies; besides the receipt of the tribute, the superintendence of
dockyards and temples, etc. Can, I ask again, any one find it at all
surprising that, with all these affairs on their hands, they are
unequal to doing business with all the world?
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: But his crown was shorn as smooth as the palm of one's hand,
which, together with his loose robe, cowl, and string of beads,
showed that which his looks never would have done, that he was a friar.
His cheeks were as red and shining as a winter crab, albeit they
were nearly covered over with a close curly black beard,
as were his chin and upper lip likewise. His neck was thick
like that of a north country bull, and his round head closely set
upon shoulders e'en a match for those of Little John himself.
Beneath his bushy black brows danced a pair of little gray
eyes that could not stand still for very drollery of humor.
No man could look into his face and not feel his heartstrings tickled
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Plain Tales from the Hills by Rudyard Kipling: there was something wrong, and twice tried to pull himself together
and confer rationally with the Doctor; but his mind ran out of
control at once, and he fell back to a whisper and the story of his
troubles. It is terrible to hear a big man babbling like a child of
all that a man usually locks up, and puts away in the deep of his
heart. Moriarty read out his very soul for the benefit of any one
who was in the room between ten-thirty that night and two-forty-five
next morning.
From what he said, one gathered how immense an influence Mrs. Reiver
held over him, and how thoroughly he felt for his own lapse. His
whisperings cannot, of course, be put down here; but they were very
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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 Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs: Professor Porter, "and that we could go and live upon the
farm in northern Wisconsin which her mother left her.
"It is a little more than self-supporting. The tenants have
always made a living from it, and been able to send Jane a
trifle beside, each year. She is planning on our going up there
the first of the week. Philander and Mr. Clayton have already
gone to get things in readiness for us."
"Clayton has gone there?" exclaimed Canler, visibly chagrined.
"Why was I not told? I would gladly have gone and
seen that every comfort was provided."
"Jane feels that we are already too much in your debt, Mr.
Tarzan of the Apes |
