| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy: But no, no! of course she had not played him false!
Fortunately the supper-room was deserted: this would make
Chauvelin's task all the easier, when presently that unsuspecting
enigma would enter it alone. No one was here now save Chauvelin
himself.
Stay! as he surveyed with a satisfied smile the solitude of
the room, the cunning agent of the French Government became aware of
the peaceful, monotonous breathing of some one of my Lord Grenville's
guests, who, no doubt, had supped both wisely and well, and was
enjoying a quiet sleep, away from the din of the dancing above.
Chauvelin looked round once more, and there in the corner of a
The Scarlet Pimpernel |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Dracula by Bram Stoker: Arthur bent eagerly over to kiss her, but at that instant
Van Helsing, who, like me, had been startled by her voice,
swooped upon him, and catching him by the neck with both hands,
dragged him back with a fury of strength which I never thought
he could have possessed, and actually hurled him almost
across the room.
"Not on your life!" he said, "not for your living soul and hers!"
And he stood between them like a lion at bay.
Arthur was so taken aback that he did not for a moment know what to do or say,
and before any impulse of violence could seize him he realized the place
and the occasion, and stood silent, waiting.
Dracula |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from King James Bible: JOH 5:12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee,
Take up thy bed, and walk?
JOH 5:13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had
conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
JOH 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him,
Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto
thee.
JOH 5:15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which
had made him whole.
JOH 5:16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay
him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
King James Bible |
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 Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: see you--I count you--my grandmother, Lilias, Jean, and Annot;
but where is--" (he hesitated, and then continued, as if with an
effort), "Where is Grace? Surely this is not a time to hide
hersell frae me--there's nae time for daffing now."
"O, brother!" and "Our poor Grace!" was the only answer his
questions could procure, till his grandmother rose up, and gently
disengaged him from the weeping girls, led him to a seat, and
with the affecting serenity which sincere piety, like oil
sprinkled on the waves, can throw over the most acute feelings,
she said, "My bairn, when thy grandfather was killed in the wars,
and left me with six orphans around me, with scarce bread to eat,
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