| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Court Life in China by Isaac Taylor Headland: the Empress-mother. To show Prince Kung, however, that they bore
him no ill will, the Empresses adopted his daughter as their own,
raising her to the rank of an imperial princess, and though the
Prince has long since passed away his daughter still lives, and
next to the Empress Dowager has been the leading figure in court
circles during the past ten years' association with the
foreigners.
During her son's minority, after the dismissal of Prince Kung as
joint regent, the Empress-mother year by year took a more active
part in the affairs of state, while the Empress as gradually sank
into the background. She was far-sighted. Having but one son, and
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Ann Veronica by H. G. Wells: fresh Mendelian work. He loves the Mendelians because he hates
all the big names of the eighties and nineties. Then I think I
remarked that science was disgracefully under-endowed, and
confessed I'd had to take to more profitable courses. 'The fact
of it is,' I said, 'I'm the new playwright, Thomas More. Perhaps
you've heard--?' Well, you know, he had."
"Fame!"
"Isn't it? 'I've not seen your play, Mr. More,' he said, 'but
I'm told it's the most amusing thing in London at the present
time. A friend of mine, Ogilvy'--I suppose that's Ogilvy &
Ogilvy, who do so many divorces, Vee?--'was speaking very highly
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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 The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: bow, its deep boom reverberating in deafening tones beneath
the rocky dome of Omean.
Instantly the sleeping thousands were awake. The decks of
a thousand monster craft teemed with fighting-men, for an
alarm on Omean was a thing of rare occurrence.
We cast away before the sound of the first gun had died,
and another second saw us rising swiftly from the surface
of the sea. I lay at full length along the deck with the levers
and buttons of control before me. Xodar and the boy were
stretched directly behind me, prone also that we might offer
as little resistance to the air as possible.
The Gods of Mars |
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 Outlaw of Torn by Edgar Rice Burroughs: De Montfort. And so as they passed the guard room
the party was increased by twenty men-at-arms.
Scarcely had Bertrade de Montfort left him ere Nor-
man of Torn heard the tramping of many feet. They
seemed approaching up the dim corridor that led to
the little door of the apartment where he stood.
Quickly he moved to the opposite door, and, stand-
ing with his hand upon the latch, waited. Yes, they
were coming that way, many of them and quickly; and
as he heard them pause without he drew aside the arras
and pushed open the door behind him; backing into
The Outlaw of Torn |
