| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Nana, Miller's Daughter, Captain Burle, Death of Olivier Becaille by Emile Zola: one often did silly things. But this time it was one's duty to look
alive, for the men only thought of having their fun. Oh dear, yes!
Things would right themselves. Madame had only to say one word in
order to quiet her creditors and find the money she stood in need
of.
"All that doesn't help me to three hundred francs," Nana kept
repeating as she plunged her fingers into the vagrant convolutions
of her back hair. "I must have three hundred francs today, at once!
It's stupid not to know anyone who'll give you three hundred
francs."
She racked her brains. She would have sent Mme Lerat, whom she was
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Moon-Face and Other Stories by Jack London: something behind him was looking at the gold over his shoulder.
Still feigning interest in the chunk of gold in his hand, he listened intently
and he heard the breathing of the thing behind him. His eyes searched the
ground in front of him for a weapon, but they saw only the uprooted gold,
worthless to him now in his extremity. There was his pick, a handy weapon on
occasion; but this was not such an occasion. The man realized his predicament.
He was in a narrow hole that was seven feet deep. His head did not come to the
surface of the ground. He was in a trap.
He remained squatting on his heels. He was quite cool and collected; but his
mind, considering every factor, showed him only his helplessness. He continued
rubbing the dirt from the quartz fragments and throwing the gold into the pan.
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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 The Mayflower Compact: Acts, Constitutions, and Offices, from time to time,
as shall be thought most meete and convenient for the
Generall Good of the Colonie; unto which we promise
all due Submission and Obedience.
In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names
at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Raigne of our
Sovereigne Lord, King James of England, France, and Ireland,
the eighteenth, and of Scotland, the fiftie-fourth,
Anno. Domini, 1620.
Mr. John Carver Mr. Stephen Hopkins
Mr. William Bradford Digery Priest
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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 Memoir of Fleeming Jenkin by Robert Louis Stevenson: picturesque: the green round tent, the square white tent and the
hut all wrapped up in sails, on a sand hill, looking on the sea and
masking those confounded marshes at the back. One would have
thought the Cagliaritans were in a conspiracy to frighten the two
poor fellows, who (I believe) will be safe enough if they do not go
into the marshes after nightfall. S- brought a little dog to amuse
them, such a jolly, ugly little cur without a tail, but full of
fun; he will be better than quinine.
'The wind drove a barque, which had anchored near us for shelter,
out to sea. We started, however, at 2 P.M., and had a quick
passage but a very rough one, getting to Bona by daylight [on the
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