| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from New Arabian Nights by Robert Louis Stevenson: "Alas, how my head aches!" she said wearily - "to say nothing of my
poor heart! But it is due to you to know my story, unmaidenly as
it must seem. I am called Blanche de Maletroit; I have been
without father or mother for - oh! for as long as I can recollect,
and indeed I have been most unhappy all my life. Three months ago
a young captain began to stand near me every day in church. I
could see that I pleased him; I am much to blame, but I was so glad
that any one should love me; and when he passed me a letter, I took
it home with me and read it with great pleasure. Since that time
he has written many. He was so anxious to speak with me, poor
fellow! and kept asking me to leave the door open some evening that
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: enabled to say, Blessed be his name!"
To this exhortation, which seemed intended for her sole behoof,
the lady answered by an inclination of her head, more humble than
Captain Dalgetty had yet observed her make. Supposing he should
now find her in a more conversible humour, he proceeded to accost
her.
"It is indubitably very natural that your ladyship should be
downcast at the mention of military preparations, whilk I have
observed to spread perturbation among women of all nations, and
almost all conditions. Nevertheless, Penthesilea, in ancient
times, and also Joan of Arc, and others, were of a different
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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 Beast in the Jungle by Henry James: If she did "know," moreover, in the sense of her having had some--
what should he think?--mystical irresistible light, this would make
the matter not better, but worse, inasmuch as her original adoption
of his own curiosity had quite become the basis of her life. She
had been living to see what would BE to be seen, and it would quite
lacerate her to have to give up before the accomplishment of the
vision. These reflexions, as I say, quickened his generosity; yet,
make them as he might, he saw himself, with the lapse of the
period, more and more disconcerted. It lapsed for him with a
strange steady sweep, and the oddest oddity was that it gave him,
independently of the threat of much inconvenience, almost the only
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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 Twilight Land by Howard Pyle: whom should he meet but the little old man in gray, with the
white beard and the black cap on his head and the long staff in
his hand.
"Is your name Selim?" said the little man, just as he had done to
Selim the Baker.
"Yes," said Selim; "it is."
"And do you wear a gold ring with a red stone?" said the little
old man, just as he had said before.
"Yes," said Selim; "I do."
"Then come with me," said the little old man, "and I will show
you the wonder of the world."
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