| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce: Nevertheless, this one had missed.
A counter-swirl had caught Fahrquhar and turned him half
round; he was again looking at the forest on the bank
opposite the fort. The sound of a clear, high voice in a
monotonous singsong now rang out behind him and came across
the water with a distinctness that pierced and subdued all
other sounds, even the beating of the ripples in his ears.
Although no soldier, he had frequented camps enough to know
the dread significance of that deliberate, drawling,
aspirated chant; the lieutenant on shore was taking a part in
the morning's work. How coldly and pitilessly -- with what
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Cousin Betty by Honore de Balzac: in Paris who spend their lives in talking themselves out, and are
content with a sort of drawing-room celebrity. Steinbock, emulating
these emasculated but charming men, grew every day more averse to hard
work. As soon as he began a thing, he was conscious of all its
difficulties, and the discouragement that came over him enervated his
will. Inspiration, the frenzy of intellectual procreation, flew
swiftly away at the sight of this effete lover.
Sculpture--like dramatic art--is at once the most difficult and the
easiest of all arts. You have but to copy a model, and the task is
done; but to give it a soul, to make it typical by creating a man or a
woman--this is the sin of Prometheus. Such triumphs in the annals of
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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 Jungle Tales of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs: with the very cord with which they had secured the kid.
Who could have done this thing? They looked at one another.
Tubuto was the first to speak. He had come hopefully out
with the expedition that morning. Somewhere he might find
evidence of the death of Rabba Kega. Now he had found it,
and he was the first to find an explanation.
"The white devil-god," he whispered. "It is the work
of the white devil-god!"
No one contradicted Tubuto, for, indeed, who else could it
have been but the great, hairless ape they all so feared? And
so their hatred of Tarzan increased again with an increased
The Jungle Tales 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 A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: the wolves or eagles will begin an onslaught on Gustavus to-
night, in regard there is so much better cheer lying all around.
But," added he, "as I am to meet two honourable knights of
England, with others of the knightly degree in your lordship's
army, I pray it may be explained to them, that now, and in
future, I claim precedence over them all, in respect of my rank
as a Banneret, dubbed in a field of stricken battle."
"The devil confound him!" said Montrose, speaking aside; "he has
contrived to set the kiln on fire as fast as I put it out.
--'This is a point, Sir Dugald," said he, gravely addressing him,
"which I shall reserve for his Majesty's express consideration;
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