| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Ancient Regime by Charles Kingsley: relations of master and servant, the division still remained; and
the people, in France especially, became merely masses, a swarm of
incoherent and disorganised things intent on the necessaries of
daily bread, like mites crawling over each other in a cheese.
Out of this mass were struggling upwards perpetually, all who had a
little ambition, a little scholarship, or a little money,
endeavouring to become members of the middle class by obtaining a
Government appointment. "A man," says M. de Tocqueville, "endowed
with some education and small means, thought it not decorous to die
without having been a Government officer." "Every man, according to
his condition," says a contemporary writer, "wants to be something
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini: earlier than was at first agreed.
Wilding never hesitated in his reply. "Frankly, Your Grace," said he,
"I like it not at all."
Fletcher looked up sharply, his clear intelligent eyes full upon
Wilding's calm face, his countenance expressing as little as did
Wilding's. Ferguson seemed slightly taken aback. Grey's thick lips
were twisted in a sneering smile.
"Faith," said the latter with elaborate sarcasm, "in that case it only
remains for us to ship again, heave anchor, and back to Holland."
"It is what I should advise," said Wilding slowly and quietly, "if I
thought there was a chance of my advice being taken." He had a calm,
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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 Bickerstaff-Partridge Papers by Jonathan Swift: useless as those go off. In consideration of which, Time, whose
registers they are, gives them a lease in reversion, to continue
their works after their death.
I should not have given the publick or myself the trouble of this
vindication, if my name had not been made use of by several
persons, to whom I never lent it; one of which, a few days ago,
was pleased to father on me a new sett of predictions. But I
think those are things too serious to be trifled with. It grieved
me to the heart, when I saw my labours, which had cost me so much
thought and watching, bawl'd about by common hawkers, which I
only intended for the weighty consideration of the gravest
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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 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne: I groped along the partition, and by the staircase to the saloon,
which was lit by the luminous ceiling. The furniture was upset.
Fortunately the windows were firmly set, and had held fast.
The pictures on the starboard side, from being no longer vertical,
were clinging to the paper, whilst those of the port side
were hanging at least a foot from the wall. The Nautilus
was lying on its starboard side perfectly motionless.
I heard footsteps, and a confusion of voices; but Captain Nemo did
not appear. As I was leaving the saloon, Ned Land and Conseil
entered.
"What is the matter?" said I, at once.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea |
