| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson: "Well, then, east, ye see, we have the muirs," said Alan. "Once
there, David, it's mere pitch-and-toss. Out on yon bald, naked,
flat place, where can a body turn to? Let the red-coats come over
a hill, they can spy you miles away; and the sorrow's in their
horses' heels, they would soon ride you down. It's no good
place, David; and I'm free to say, it's worse by daylight than by
dark."
"Alan," said I, "hear my way of it. Appin's death for us; we
have none too much money, nor yet meal; the longer they seek, the
nearer they may guess where we are; it's all a risk; and I give
my word to go ahead until we drop."
Kidnapped |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Grimm's Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm: My sister loved me best of all;
then little Marleen laid her head down on her knees and sobbed.
'I must go outside and see the bird nearer,' said the man.
'Ah, do not go!' cried the wife. 'I feel as if the whole house were in
flames!'
But the man went out and looked at the bird.
She laid her kerchief over me,
And took my bones that they might lie
Underneath the juniper-tree
Kywitt, Kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!'
With that the bird let fall the gold chain, and it fell just round the
Grimm's Fairy Tales |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Mansfield Park by Jane Austen: characters worth playing before I reached Ecclesford;
and though Lord Ravenshaw offered to resign his to me,
it was impossible to take it, you know. I was sorry
for _him_ that he should have so mistaken his powers,
for he was no more equal to the Baron--a little man
with a weak voice, always hoarse after the first
ten minutes. It must have injured the piece materially;
but _I_ was resolved to make no difficulties.
Sir Henry thought the duke not equal to Frederick,
but that was because Sir Henry wanted the part himself;
whereas it was certainly in the best hands of the two.
Mansfield Park |
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 Crisis in Russia by Arthur Ransome: patently conscious that Radek was a formidable opponent,
made a speech setting out his reasons for differing with the
Central Committee, and proposed an ingenious resolution,
which, while expressing approval of the general position of
the Committee, included four supplementary modifications
which, as a matter of fact, nullified that position altogether.
It was then about ten at night, and the Conference
adjourned. We drove round to the prison in sledges,
and by way of supper had some more soup and potatoes,
and so back to the railway station to sleep in the cars.
Next day the Conference opened about noon, when there
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