| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Maid Marian by Thomas Love Peacock: but of thy money, not a penny. It is paid already.
My Lady, who was thy security, hath sent it me for thee."
Sir William pressed, but Robin was inflexible.
"It is paid," said Robin, "as this good knight can testify,
who saw my Lady's messenger depart but now."
Sir William looked round to the stranger knight, and instantly fell
on his knee, saying, "God save King Richard."
The foresters, friar and all, dropped on their knees together,
and repeated in chorus: "God save King Richard."
"Rise, rise," said Richard, smiling: "Robin is king here, as his lady
hath shown. I have heard much of thee, Robin, both of thy present and thy
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Z. Marcas by Honore de Balzac: forecasts of unerring acumen. There are hints as to certain parts of
America and Asia which have been fully justified, both before and
since Juste and I could set out.
Marcas, like us, was in the most abject poverty. He earned, indeed,
his daily bread, but he had neither linen, clothes, nor shoes. He did
not make himself out any better than he was; his dreams had been of
luxury as well as of power. He did not admit that this was the real
Marcas; he abandoned this person, indeed, to the caprices of life.
What he lived by was the breath of ambition; he dreamed of revenge
while blaming himself for yielding to so shallow a feeling. The true
statesman ought, above all things, to be superior to vulgar passions;
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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 Wife, et al by Anton Chekhov: spend every summer abroad, and as I have not at the moment the
money in hand for a trip to Marienbad, it is very possible, dear
sister, that I may spend this summer with you at Kotchuevko. . .
."
On reading the letter my mother turned pale and began trembling
all over; then an expression of mingled tears and laughter came
into her face. She began crying and laughing. This conflict of
tears and laughter always reminds me of the flickering and
spluttering of a brightly burning candle when one sprinkles it
with water. Reading the letter once more, mother called together
all the household, and in a voice broken with emotion began
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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 Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: which lay near.
"And now, friend," said Elliot, as the unreasonable Dwarf
indicated another stone larger than any they had moved,
"Earnscliff may do as he likes; but be ye man or be ye waur, deil
be in my fingers if I break my back wi' heaving thae stanes ony
langer like a barrow-man, without getting sae muckle as thanks
for my pains."
"Thanks!" exclaimed the Dwarf, with a motion expressive of the
utmost contempt--"There--take them, and fatten upon them! Take
them, and may they thrive with you as they have done with me--as
they have done with every mortal worm that ever heard the word
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