| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Don Quixote by Miquel de Cervantes: Belongs the office; Lady, when my tongue
Is cold in death, believe me, unto thee
My voice shall raise its tributary song.
My soul, from this strait prison-house set free,
As o'er the Stygian lake it floats along,
Thy praises singing still shall hold its way,
And make the waters of oblivion stay.
At this point one of the two that looked like kings exclaimed,
"Enough, enough, divine singer! It would be an endless task to put
before us now the death and the charms of the peerless Altisidora, not
dead as the ignorant world imagines, but living in the voice of fame
Don Quixote |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Dream Life and Real Life by Olive Schreiner: The younger woman went; and the elder knelt down by the chair, and wailed
like a little child when you have struck it and it does not dare to cry
loud.
A year after; it was early spring again.
The woman sat at her desk writing; behind her the fire burnt brightly. She
was writing a leading article on the causes which in differing peoples lead
to the adoption of Free Trade or Protectionist principles.
The woman wrote on quickly. After a while the servant entered and laid a
pile of letters on the table. "Tell the boy I shall have done in fifteen
minutes." She wrote on. Then she caught sight of the writing on one of
the letters. She put down her pen, and opened it. It ran so:--
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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 Return of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "No, my friend," said the count hastily. "It is a personal
matter, and I beg that you will let it drop. It is sufficient
that I have been exonerated from the charge. The less we have
to do with such fellows, the better. But, monsieur, how can
I thank you for the great kindness you have done me?
Permit me to offer you my card, and should the time come
when I may serve you, remember that I am yours to command."
Tarzan had released Rokoff, who, with his confederate,
Paulvitch, had hastened from the smoking-room. Just as he
was leaving, Rokoff turned to Tarzan. "Monsieur will have
ample opportunity to regret his interference in the affairs
The Return of Tarzan |
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 Salammbo by Gustave Flaubert: women followed her; and, at each of her steps, they also descended.
The heads of the Negresses formed big black spots on the line of the
bands of the golden plates clasping the foreheads of the Roman women.
Others had silver arrows, emerald butterflies, or long bodkins set
like suns in their hair. Rings, clasps, necklaces, fringes, and
bracelets shone amid the confusion of white, yellow, and blue
garments; a rustling of light material became audible; the pattering
of sandals might be heard together with the dull sound of naked feet
as they were set down on the wood;--and here and there a tall eunuch,
head and shoulders above them, smiled with his face in air. When the
shouting of the men had subsided they hid their faces in their
Salammbo |
