| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tales of the Klondyke by Jack London: peremptorily demanded notice. A close-fitting blouse of moose-
skin, fantastically beaded, outlined faithfully the well-rounded
lines of her body, while a silken kerchief, gay of color and
picturesquely draped, partly covered great masses of blue-black
hair. But it was the face, cast belike in copper bronze, which
caught and held Mrs. Sayther's fleeting glance. Eyes, piercing
and black and large, with a traditionary hint of obliqueness,
looked forth from under clear-stencilled, clean-arching brows.
Without suggesting cadaverousness, though high-boned and
prominent, the cheeks fell away and met in a mouth, thin-lipped
and softly strong. It was a face which advertised the dimmest
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs: went down with a bullet in his back before he had taken a
half dozen steps.
With a loud roar, Black Michael attracted the attention of
the others, and, pointing to Lord and Lady Greystoke, cried:
"These here are my friends, and they are to be left alone.
D'ye understand?
"I'm captain of this ship now, an' what I says goes," he
added, turning to Clayton. "Just keep to yourselves, and
nobody'll harm ye," and he looked threateningly on his fellows.
The Claytons heeded Black Michael's instructions so well
that they saw but little of the crew and knew nothing of the
Tarzan of the Apes |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The People That Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs: searched for me and found me; and as I fled, Du-seen ran after
me crying that he would slay me. Kill me, my Tom, and then fall
upon thine own spear, for they will kill you horribly if they
take you alive."
I couldn't kill her--not at least until the last moment; and I
told her so, and that I loved her, and that until death came, I
would live and fight for her.
Nobs had followed us into the bog and had done fairly well at
first, but when he neared us he too sank to his belly and could
only flounder about. We were in this predicament when Du-seen
and his followers approached the edge of the horrible swamp.
The People That Time Forgot |
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 Polly of the Circus by Margaret Mayo: women about her or the picturesque disarray of the surrounding
objects. Her eyes had been so long accustomed to the glitter and
tinsel of circus fineries that she saw nothing unusual in a
picture that might have held a painter spellbound.
Circling the inside of the tent and forming a double line down
the centre were partially unpacked trunks belching forth impudent
masses of satins, laces, artificial hair, paper flowers, and
paste jewels. The scent of moist earth mingled oddly with the
perfumed odours of the garments heaped on the grass. Here and
there high circles of lights threw a strong, steady glare upon
the half-clad figure of a robust acrobat, or the thin, drooping
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