| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar by Edgar Rice Burroughs: vision.
A dozen huge and hairy forms loomed large beneath the
trees at the far side of the enclosure. The white
giant, one hand freed, had struggled to his knees and
was calling to the frightful, nocturnal visitors in a
hideous medley of bestial gutturals, barkings and
growlings.
Werper had managed to sit up. He, too, saw the savage
faces of the approaching anthropoids and scarcely knew
whether to be relieved or terror-stricken.
Growling, the great apes leaped forward toward Tarzan
Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Catherine de Medici by Honore de Balzac: bound. We can imagine the effect produced by the insertion of wooden
wedges, driven in by hammers between the planks of the two bound legs,
--the two sets of planks of course not yielding, being themselves
bound together by ropes. These wedges were driven in on a line with
the knees and the ankles. The choice of these places where there is
little flesh, and where, consequently, the wedge could only be forced
in by crushing the bones, made this form of torture, called the
"question," horribly painful. In the "ordinary question" four wedges
were driven in,--two at the knees, two at the ankles; but in the
"extraordinary question" the number was increased to eight, provided
the doctor certified that the prisoner's vitality was not exhausted.
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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 Reminiscences of Tolstoy by Leo Tolstoy: "Oh, nothing in particular; she just sent her compliments,"
murmured Alexander Mikháilovitch, departing from the exact
truth with some effort.
"Very good, very good; come whenever you like; she is one of
my best workers."
Before Susóitchik had time to show the judge out, in
came all the children, laughing and jostling, and hiding one behind
the other.
"What brought you here, youngsters? Did my little
Tanyítchka send you? That's right; no harm in coming. Give
my compliments to Tánya, and tell her that I am always at
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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 The Two Noble Kinsmen by William Shakespeare: Cicely the Sempsters daughter:
The next gloves that I give her shall be dog skin;
Nay and she faile me once--you can tell, Arcas,
She swore by wine and bread, she would not breake.
SCHOOLMASTER.
An Eele and woman,
A learned Poet sayes, unles by'th taile
And with thy teeth thou hold, will either faile.
In manners this was false position
1. COUNTREYMAN.
A fire ill take her; do's she flinch now?
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