| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Sophist by Plato: STRANGER: Then now, on the supposition that they are improved, let us ask
them to state their views, and do you interpret them.
THEAETETUS: Agreed.
STRANGER: Let them say whether they would admit that there is such a thing
as a mortal animal.
THEAETETUS: Of course they would.
STRANGER: And do they not acknowledge this to be a body having a soul?
THEAETETUS: Certainly they do.
STRANGER: Meaning to say that the soul is something which exists?
THEAETETUS: True.
STRANGER: And do they not say that one soul is just, and another unjust,
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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 Figure in the Carpet by Henry James: some singular things into Gwendolen's words and some still more
extraordinary ones into her silences. Pen in hand, this way, I
live the time over, and it brings back the oddest sense of my
having been, both for months and in spite of myself, a kind of
coerced spectator. All my life had taken refuge in my eyes, which
the procession of events appeared to have committed itself to keep
astare. There were days when I thought of writing to Hugh Vereker
and simply throwing myself on his charity. But I felt more deeply
that I hadn't fallen quite so low - besides which, quite properly,
he would send me about my business. Mrs. Erme's death brought
Corvick straight home, and within the month he was united "very
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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 Dunwich Horror by H. P. Lovecraft: agin, though ye couldn't see nothin' aout the front winders. An'
then... an' then...'
Lines of fright deepened on every face;
and Armitage, shaken as he was, had barely poise enough to prompt
the speaker.
'An' then.... Sally she yelled aout, "O help, the
haouse is a-cavin' in... an' on the wire we could hear a turrible
crashin' an' a hull flock o' screaming... jes like when Elmer
Frye's place was took, only wuss...'
The man paused, and another
of the crowd spoke.
The Dunwich Horror |
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 A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: I believe, Monsieur le Count, said I, that man has a certain
compass, as well as an instrument; and that the social and other
calls have occasion by turns for every key in him; so that if you
begin a note too high or too low, there must be a want either in
the upper or under part, to fill up the system of harmony. - The
Count de B- did not understand music, so desired me to explain it
some other way. A polish'd nation, my dear Count, said I, makes
every one its debtor: and besides, Urbanity itself, like the fair
sex, has so many charms, it goes against the heart to say it can do
ill; and yet, I believe, there is but a certain line of perfection,
that man, take him altogether, is empower'd to arrive at: - if he
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