| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Footnote to History by Robert Louis Stevenson: civilisation, he is condemned to be an organ of reform, he could
scarce evade (even if he desired) a certain influence in political
affairs. And it is believed, besides, by those who fancy they
know, that the effective force of division between Mataafa and
Laupepa came from the natives rather than from whites. Before the
end of 1890, at least, it began to be rumoured that there was
dispeace between the two Malietoas; and doubtless this had an
unsettling influence throughout the islands. But there was another
ingredient of anxiety. The Berlin convention had long closed its
sittings; the text of the Act had been long in our hands;
commissioners were announced to right the wrongs of the land
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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 Breaking Point by Mary Roberts Rinehart: old offices of the estate in New York and have them wire him money?
But even granting that they were still in existence, he knew with
what lengthy caution, following stunned surprise, they would go
about investigating the message. And there were leaks in the
telegraph. He would have a pack of newspaper hounds at his heels
within a few hours. The police, too. No, it wouldn't do.
The next day he got a job as a taxicab driver, and that night and
every night thereafter he went back to West Madison Street and
picked up one or more of the derelicts there and bought them food.
He developed quite a system about it. He waited until he saw a
man stop outside an eating-house look in and then pass on. But
The Breaking Point |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: going to Pylos, I will do you all the harm I can. I shall go,
and my going will not be in vain--though, thanks to you suitors,
I have neither ship nor crew of my own, and must be passenger
not captain."
As he spoke he snatched his hand from that of Antinous.
Meanwhile the others went on getting dinner ready about the
buildings, {21} jeering at him tauntingly as they did so.
"Telemachus," said one youngster, "means to be the death of us;
I suppose he thinks he can bring friends to help him from Pylos,
or again from Sparta, where he seems bent on going. Or will he
go to Ephyra as well, for poison to put in our wine and kill
The Odyssey |
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 Dynamiter by Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Van De Grift Stevenson: was in motion, concealed the bag as completely as he could
under the vantage of the apron, and once more drew out his
watch. So he rode for five interminable minutes, his heart
in his mouth at every jolt, scarce able to possess his
terrors, yet fearing to wake the attention of the driver by
too obvious a change of plan, and willing, if possible, to
leave him time to forget the Gladstone bag.
At length, at the head of some stairs on the Embankment, he
hailed; the cab was stopped; and he alighted - with how glad
a heart! He thrust his hand into his pocket. All was now
over; he had saved his life; nor that alone, but he had
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