| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Enemies of Books by William Blades: `And you, when on earth, practised the good they teach?'
sternly demanded the saint, who read their characters at a glance.
Their faltering reply was sufficient, and the blessed
saint at once passed judgment as follows:--`Insomuch as,
seduced by a foolish vanity, and against your vows of poverty,
you have amassed this multitude of books and thereby and therefor
have neglected the duties and broken the rules of your Order,
you are now sentenced to read your books for ever and ever in
the fires of Hell.' Immediately, a roaring noise filled the air,
and a flaming chasm opened in which friars, and asses and books
were suddenly engulphed."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Drama on the Seashore by Honore de Balzac: many hopes defeated by a change of weather! He was hanging there to a
granite rock, his arm extended like that of an Indian fakir, while his
father, sitting in their hovel, awaited, in silence and darkness, a
meal of the coarsest bread and shell-fish, if the sea permitted.
"Do you ever drink wine?" I asked.
"Three or four times a year," he replied.
"Well, you shall drink it to-day,--you and your father; and we will
send you some white bread."
"You are very kind, monsieur."
"We will give you your dinner if you will show us the way along the
shore to Batz, where we wish to see the tower which overlooks the bay
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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 Where There's A Will by Mary Roberts Rinehart: "The doctor said--"
"I think we'd better be going." Miss Patty got up and gathered
up her cloak. But if she meant to break up the party Miss
Summers was not ready.
"If you don't mind," she said, "I'll stay. I'm frozen, and I've
got to go home and sleep with my window up. You're lucky," she
went on to the Dickys. "I dare say the air in here would scare
us under a microscope, but at least it is warm."
The Van Alstynes made a move to go, but Mr. Dicky
frantically gestured to them not to leave him alone, and Mrs. Sam
sat down again sulkily. Mr. Pierce picked up his cap.
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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 Persuasion by Jane Austen: had nearly failed. She could not call herself an invalid now,
compared with her state on first reaching Bath. Then she had, indeed,
been a pitiable object; for she had caught cold on the journey,
and had hardly taken possession of her lodgings before she was again
confined to her bed and suffering under severe and constant pain;
and all this among strangers, with the absolute necessity of having
a regular nurse, and finances at that moment particularly unfit
to meet any extraordinary expense. She had weathered it, however,
and could truly say that it had done her good. It had increased
her comforts by making her feel herself to be in good hands.
She had seen too much of the world, to expect sudden or disinterested
Persuasion |
