| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Youth by Joseph Conrad: "One would think that the sole purpose of that fiend-
ish gale had been to make a lunatic of that poor devil of
a mulatto. It eased before morning, and next day the
sky cleared, and as the sea went down the leak took up.
When it came to bending a fresh set of sails the crew
demanded to put back--and really there was nothing else
to do. Boats gone, decks swept clean, cabin gutted, men
without a stitch but what they stood in, stores spoiled,
ship strained. We put her head for home, and--would
you believe it? The wind came east right in our teeth.
It blew fresh, it blew continuously. We had to beat up
Youth |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll: `I can't stand this any longer!' she cried as she jumped up and
seized the table-cloth with both hands: one good pull, and
plates, dishes, guests, and candles came crashing down together
in a heap on the floor.
`And as for YOU,' she went on, turning fiercely upon the Red Queen,
whom she considered as the cause of all the mischief--but the Queen
was no longer at her side--she had suddenly dwindled down to the size
of a little doll, and was now on the table, merrily running round
and round after her own shawl, which was trailing behind her.
At any other time, Alice would have felt surprised at this,
but she was far too much excited to be surprised at anything NOW.
Through the Looking-Glass |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Mucker by Edgar Rice Burroughs: He shook his head.
"There is something familiar about your face," he said; "but
I cannot place you. Nor does it make any difference who you
are--you have risked your life to save ours and I shall not
leave you. Let Mr. Harding go--it is not necessary for both to
stay."
"You will both go," insisted Byrne; "and you will find that
it does make a big difference who I am. I hadn't intended
telling you, but I see there is no other way. I'm the mucker
that nearly killed you on board the Lotus, Mallory. I'm the
fellow that man-handled Miss Harding until even that beast of
The Mucker |
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 King James Bible: great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict
thee.
JDG 16:7 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green
withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another
man.
JDG 16:8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven
green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
JDG 16:9 Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the
chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson.
And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth
the fire. So his strength was not known.
King James Bible |
