| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Records of a Family of Engineers by Robert Louis Stevenson: he had the satisfaction to find everything in good order. The
mortar in all the joints was perfectly entire. The building,
now thirty feet in height, was thickly coated with FUCI to the
height of about fifteen feet, calculating from the rock: on
the eastern side, indeed, the growth of seaweed was observable
to the full height of thirty feet, and even on the top or
upper bed of the last-laid course, especially towards the
eastern side, it had germinated, so as to render walking upon
it somewhat difficult.
The beacon-house was in a perfectly sound state, and
apparently just as it had been left in the month of November.
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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 Soul of the Far East by Percival Lowell: purpose of catching the susceptible. The shops were modestly
attractive from their nature, but the booths deliberately make eyes
at you, and with telling effect. The very atmosphere is bewitching.
The lurid smurkiness of the torches lends an appropriate weirdness
to the figure of the uncouthly clad pedlar who, with the politeness
of the arch-fiend himself, displays to an eager group the fatal
fascinations of some new conceit. Here the latest thing in
inventions, a gutta-percha rat, which, for reasons best known to the
vender, scampers about squeaking with a mimicry to shame the
original, holds an admiring crowd spellbound with mingled
trepidation and delight. There a native zoetrope, indefatigable
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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 Chronicles of the Canongate by Walter Scott: towards her as his bonds would permit; but the mother heard
nothing, and saw nothing. She had fainted on the floor of her
hut. Without waiting for her recovery, the party almost
immediately began their homeward march towards Dunbarton, leading
along with them their prisoner. They thought it necessary,
however, to stay for a little space at the village of Dalmally,
from which they despatched a party of the inhabitants to bring
away the body of their unfortunate leader, while they themselves
repaired to a magistrate, to state what had happened, and require
his instructions as to the farther course to be pursued. The
crime being of a military character, they were instructed to
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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 Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton: was not on account of bad news?"
Miss Blenker took this with a cheerful incredulity.
"Oh, I don't believe so. She didn't tell us what was in
the telegram. I think she didn't want the Marchioness
to know. She's so romantic-looking, isn't she? Doesn't
she remind you of Mrs. Scott-Siddons when she reads
`Lady Geraldine's Courtship'? Did you never hear her?"
Archer was dealing hurriedly with crowding thoughts.
His whole future seemed suddenly to be unrolled
before him; and passing down its endless emptiness he
saw the dwindling figure of a man to whom nothing
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