| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Under the Red Robe by Stanley Weyman: us the brother and sister rode hand in hand, silent, gloomy, one
at least of them weeping. The cold shadow of the Cardinal, of
Paris, of the scaffold fell on them, and chilled them. As the
mountains which they had known all their lives sank and faded
behind us, and we entered on the wide, low valley of the Garonne,
their hopes sank and faded also--sank to the dead level of
despair. Surrounded by guards, a mark for curious glances, with
pride for a companion, M. de Cocheforet could have borne himself
bravely; doubtless would bear himself bravely still when the end
came. But almost alone, moving forward through the grey evening
to a prison, with so many measured days before him, and nothing
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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 Case of the Golden Bullet by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: me little, for his revenge will know how to find me. I dare not be
a moment without a weapon now - his threats on my refusal let me
fear the worst. I have an uncanny presentiment of evil. I shall
leave here to-morrow. With the excuse of having some pressing
family affair to attend to, I have secured several days' leave.
Of course I do not intend to return. I am hoping that you will
come here and break up my establishment in my stead. I will tell
you everything else when I see you. I am in a hurry now, for there
is a good deal of packing to do. If anything should happen to me,
you will know who it is who is responsible for my death. His
name is - "
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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 Charmides by Plato: seeking after something more than is to be found in her?
That is very likely, he said.
That is very likely, I said; and very likely, too, we have been enquiring
to no purpose; as I am led to infer, because I observe that if this is
wisdom, some strange consequences would follow. Let us, if you please,
assume the possibility of this science of sciences, and further admit and
allow, as was originally suggested, that wisdom is the knowledge of what we
know and do not know. Assuming all this, still, upon further
consideration, I am doubtful, Critias, whether wisdom, such as this, would
do us much good. For we were wrong, I think, in supposing, as we were
saying just now, that such wisdom ordering the government of house or state
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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 Love Songs by Sara Teasdale: That he will find it everywhere;
It will awake him in the night,
It will enfold him in the air.
I set my shadow in his sight
And I have winged it with desire,
That it may be a cloud by day,
And in the night a shaft of fire.
A Prayer
Until I lose my soul and lie
Blind to the beauty of the earth,
Deaf though shouting wind goes by,
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