| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tess of the d'Urbervilles, A Pure Woman by Thomas Hardy: boy," observed Clare's mother. "But I am sure you will
not mind doing without them as I am sure your father
and I shall not, when you know the reason. I suggested
to him that we should take Mrs Crick's kind present to
the children of the man who can earn nothing just now
because of his attacks of delirium tremens; and he
agreed that it would be a great pleasure to them; so we
did."
"Of course," said Angel cheerfully, looking round for
the mead.
"I found the mead so extremely alcoholic," continued
Tess of the d'Urbervilles, A Pure Woman |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Twelve Stories and a Dream by H. G. Wells: her, the little book that had first drawn them together. Her refusal
was ambiguous, allusive. She could no more tell him why she rejected
him than she could have told a cripple of his hump. He too must
feel something of the unspeakable quality of his name. Indeed he
had avoided a dozen chances of telling it, she now perceived. So she
spoke of "obstacles she could not reveal"--"reasons why the thing he
spoke of was impossible." She addressed the note with a shiver, "E. K.
Snooks."
Things were worse than she had dreaded; he asked her to explain.
How COULD she explain? Those last two days in Rome were dreadful.
She was haunted by his air of astonished perplexity. She knew she
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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 Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini: stands between us..."
"I think there is more," she answered him. "You compel me to hurt you;
I do so as the surgeon does - that I may heal you."
"Why, thanks for nothing," he made answer, unable to repress a sneer.
Then, checking himself, and resuming the hero-martyr posture, "I go,
mistress," he told her sadly, "and if I lose my life to-night, or
to-morrow, in this affair..."
"I shall pray for you," said she; for she had found him out at last,
perceived the nature of the bow he sought to draw across her
heart-strings, and, having perceived it, contempt awoke in her. He had
attempted to move her by unfair, insidious means.
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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 First Inaugural Address by Abraham Lincoln: But if the destruction of the Union by one or by a part only of the States
be lawfully possible, the Union is LESS perfect than before the Constitution,
having lost the vital element of perpetuity.
It follows from these views that no State upon its own mere motion
can lawfully get out of the Union; that Resolves and Ordinances
to that effect are legally void; and that acts of violence,
within any State or States, against the authority of the United States,
are insurrectionary or revolutionary, according to circumstances.
I therefore consider that, in view of the Constitution and the laws,
the Union is unbroken; and to the extent of my ability I shall take care,
as the Constitution itself expressly enjoins upon me, that the
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