| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Commission in Lunacy by Honore de Balzac: d'Espard in the funds when they were at 60 to 80. I should think their
income must be more than sixty thousand francs. And then the son has
fine appointments."
"If they spend sixty thousand francs a year," said the judge, "how
much do you spend?"
"Well," said Madame d'Espard, "about the same." The Chevalier started
a little, the Marquise colored; Bianchon looked at Rastignac; but
Popinot preserved an expression of simplicity which quite deceived
Madame d'Espard. The chevalier took no part in the conversation; he
saw that all was lost.
"These people, madame, might be indicted before the superior Court,"
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Young Forester by Zane Grey: Then the whip-like crack of a rifle riveted me where I stood. One of the
deer fell, and the others bounded away. I saw a tall man stride down the
slope and into the glade. He was not like any of the loggers or lumbermen.
They were mostly brawny and round-shouldered. This man was lithe, erect; he
walked like athletes I had seen. Surely I should find a friend in him, and
I lost no time in running down into the glade. He saw me as soon as I was
clear of the trees, and stood leaning on his rifle.
"Wal, dog-gone my buttons!" he ejaculated. "Who're you?"
I blurted out all about myself, at the same time taking stock of him. He
was not young, but I had never seen a young man so splendid. Hair, beard,
and skin were all of a dark gray. His eyes, too, were gray--the keenest and
The Young Forester |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Talisman by Walter Scott: besides his sword. When she looked, and when she listened, the
lady saw and heard enough to encourage her in a partiality which
had at first crept on her unawares. If a knight's personal
beauty was praised, even the most prudish dames of the military
court of England would make an exception in favour of the
Scottish Kenneth; and it oftentimes happened that,
notwithstanding the very considerable largesses which princes and
peers bestowed on the minstrels, an impartial spirit of
independence would seize the poet, and the harp was swept to the
heroism of one who had neither palfreys nor garments to bestow in
guerdon of his applause.
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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 Adventure by Jack London: loose on their track as well."
In response to the summons of the big bell, Joan's Tahitians were
the first to arrive, by their glistening bodies and panting chests
showing that they had run all the way. Some of the farthest-placed
gangs would be nearly an hour in arriving.
Sheldon proceeded to arm Joan's sailors and deal out ammunition and
handcuffs. Adamu Adam, with loaded rifle, he placed on guard over
the whale-boats. Noa Noah, aided by Matapuu, were instructed to
take charge of the working-gangs as fast as they came in, to keep
them amused, and to guard against their being stampeded into making
a break themselves. The five other Tahitians were to follow Joan
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