| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells: and a beer bottle overturned, just as I and the artilleryman
had left them. My home was desolate. I perceived the folly
of the faint hope I had cherished so long. And then a strange
thing occurred. "It is no use," said a voice. "The house is
deserted. No one has been here these ten days. Do not stay
here to torment yourself. No one escaped but you."
I was startled. Had I spoken my thought aloud? I turned,
and the French window was open behind me. I made a
step to it, and stood looking out.
And there, amazed and afraid, even as I stood amazed
and afraid, were my cousin and my wife--my wife white
War of the Worlds |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Astoria by Washington Irving: Canadian voyageurs generally preface a long cruise with a
carouse. They have their cronies, their brothers, their cousins,
their wives, their sweethearts, all to be entertained at their
expense. They feast, they fiddle, they drink, they sing, they
dance, they frolic and fight, until they are all as mad as so
many drunken Indians. The publicans are all obedience to their
commands, never hesitating to let them run up scores without
limit, knowing that, when their own money is expended, the purses
of their employers must answer for the bill, or the voyage must
be delayed. Neither was it possible, at that time, to remedy the
matter at Mackinaw. In that amphibious community there was always
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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 Dream Life and Real Life by Olive Schreiner: me!" she said, and she turned to lie down again; but soon she sat up.
Outside, there was the distinct sound of thorns crackling in a fire.
She crept to the door and made an opening in the branches with her fingers.
A large fire was blazing in the shadow, at the foot of the rocks. A little
Bushman sat over some burning coals that had been raked from it, cooking
meat. Stretched on the ground was an Englishman, dressed in a blouse, and
with a heavy, sullen face. On the stone beside him was Dirk, the
Hottentot, sharpening a bowie knife.
She held her breath. Not a cony in all the rocks was so still.
"They can never find me here," she said; and she knelt, and listened to
every word they said. She could hear it all.
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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 Vision Splendid by William MacLeod Raine: Part 5
At Gillam's Point Jeff and his friends, with Dunn and Quillen,
left the _Bellingham_ on the launch which brought the pilot. They
caught the fast express a half hour later and reached Verden
shortly after midnight. His hat drawn down over his eyes and
muffied to the ears in an ulster so that he might not be
recognized, Farnum took a cab with Captain Chunn, Dunn and
Quillen for the office of the World. He slipped into the building
and his private room unnoticed by any member of the staff.
Dunn presently brought to him Jenkins, the make-up man.
"Rip your front page to pieces. We've got the story of a life
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