| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from McTeague by Frank Norris: unrolled toward the horizon. In the immediate foreground a
broken system of arroyos, and little canyons tumbled down to
meet it. To the north faint blue hills shouldered
themselves above the horizon.
"Well," observed Cribbens, "we're on the top of the Panamint
Range now. It's along this eastern slope, right below us
here, that we're going to prospect. Gold Gulch"--he pointed
with the butt of his quirt--"is about eighteen or nineteen
miles along here to the north of us. Those hills way over
yonder to the northeast are the Telescope hills."
"What do you call the desert out yonder?" McTeague's eyes
McTeague |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Men of Iron by Howard Pyle: beating intermittently, now and then pausing. Occasionally, as
the combatants spurred together, checked, wheeled, and recovered,
they would be hidden for a moment in a misty veil of dust, which,
again drifting down the wind, perhaps revealed them drawn a
little apart, resting their panting horses. Then, again, they
would spur together, striking as they passed, wheeling and
striking again.
Upon the scaffolding all was still, only now and then for the
buzz of muffled exclamations or applause of those who looked on.
Mostly the applause was from Myles's friends, for from the very
first he showed and steadily maintained his advantage over the
Men of Iron |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Selected Writings of Guy De Maupassant by Guy De Maupassant: father, with mother, daughter, and the three sons depart, leaving
the house in charge of the old guide, Gaspard Hari, with the
young guide, Ulrich Kunsi, and Sam, the great mountain dog.
The two men and the dog remain till spring in their snowy prison,
with nothing before their eyes except immense, white slopes of
the Balmhorn, surrounded by light, glistening summits, and shut
up, blocked up, and buried by the snow which rises around them,
enveloping and almost burying the little house up to the eaves.
It was the day on which the Hauser family were going to return to
Loeche, as winter was approaching, and the descent was becoming
dangerous. Three mules started first, laden with baggage and led
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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 Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde: what he said. Gold Stick is very complimentary. In fact, he
mistakes me for one of the Court dignitaries!"
"Let us put it into the fire!" said the other boy, "it will help to
boil the kettle."
So they piled the faggots together, and put the Rocket on top, and
lit the fire.
"This is magnificent," cried the Rocket, "they are going to let me
off in broad day-light, so that every one can see me."
"We will go to sleep now," they said, "and when we wake up the
kettle will be boiled"; and they lay down on the grass, and shut
their eyes.
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