| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll: `Nobody said you did,' said the Red Queen. `I said you
couldn't if you tried.'
`She's in that state of mind,' said the White Queen, `that she
wants to deny SOMETHING--only she doesn't know what to deny!'
`A nasty, vicious temper,' the Red Queen remarked; and then
there was an uncomfortable silence for a minute or two.
The Red Queen broke the silence by saying to the White Queen,
`I invite you to Alice's dinner-party this afternoon.'
The White Queen smiled feebly, and said `And I invite YOU.'
`I didn't know I was to have a party at all,' said Alice; `but
if there is to be one, I think _I_ ought to invite the guests.'
Through the Looking-Glass |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Koran: the heavens and the earth and what is between the two, if ye were
but sure. There is no god but He, He quickens and He kills-your Lord
and the Lord of your fathers of yore! Nay, they in doubt do play!
But expect thou the day when the heaven shall bring obvious smoke to
cover men-this is grievous torment!
Our Lord! remove from us the torment; verily, we are believers.
How can they have the reminder (now), when they have had a plain
apostle, and when they turned their backs away from him and said,
'Taught! mad!' Verily, we will remove the torment a little, (but) ye
will surely return!
On the day when we will assault with the great assault, verily, we
The Koran |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas: stationed in the balcony on the lookout. "Here comes M.
Morrel back. No doubt, now, we shall hear that our friend is
released!"
Mercedes and the old man rushed to meet the shipowner and
greeted him at the door. He was very pale.
"What news?" exclaimed a general burst of voices.
"Alas, my friends," replied M. Morrel, with a mournful shake
of his head, "the thing has assumed a more serious aspect
than I expected."
"Oh, indeed -- indeed, sir, he is innocent!" sobbed forth
Mercedes.
The Count of Monte Cristo |
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 Pocket Diary Found in the Snow by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: have done. You are so quiet about it."
"What I have done is only what any one could do who has that
particular faculty. I do only what is in human power to do, and
the cleverest criminal can do no more. Besides which, we all know
that every criminal commits some stupidity, and leaves some trace
behind him. If it is really a crime which we have found the trace
of here, we will soon discover it." Muller's editorial "we" was a
matter of formality. He might with more truth have used the
singular pronoun.
"Very well, then, do what you can," said the commissioner with a
friendly smile.
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