| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin: answered probably with words worse than silence, being deceptive; or
snatch, once or twice in our lives, the privilege of throwing a
bouquet in the path of a princess, or arresting the kind glance of a
queen. And yet these momentary chances we covet; and spend our
years, and passions, and powers, in pursuit of little more than
these; while, meantime, there is a society continually open to us,
of people who will talk to us as long as we like, whatever our rank
or occupation;--talk to us in the best words they can choose, and of
the things nearest their hearts. And this society, because it is so
numerous and so gentle, and can be kept waiting round us all day
long,--kings and statesmen lingering patiently, not to grant
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Bab:A Sub-Deb, Mary Roberts Rinehart by Mary Roberts Rinehart: said. "I have never had it."
She meant the whooping cough. The school will recall the epademic
which ravaged us last June, and changed us from a peaceful
institution to what sounded like a dog show.
Well, I got the same old room, not much fixed up, but they had put
up diferent curtains anyhow, thank goodness. I had been hinting all
spring for new Furnature, but my Familey does not take a hint
unless it is cloroformed first, and I found the same old stuff there.
They beleive in waiting until a girl makes her Debut before giving
her anything but the necessarys of life.
Sis was off for a week-end, but Hannah was there, and I kissed her.
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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 Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson: both piled upon me mountain deep. I am delighted beyond expression
by Bourget's book: he has phrases which affect me almost like
Montaigne; I had read ere this a masterly essay of his on Pascal;
this book does it; I write for all his essays by this mail, and
shall try to meet him when I come to Europe. The proposal is to
pass a summer in France, I think in Royat, where the faithful could
come and visit me; they are now not many. I expect Henry James to
come and break a crust or two with us. I believe it will be only
my wife and myself; and she will go over to England, but not I, or
possibly incog. to Southampton, and then to Boscombe to see poor
Lady Shelley. I am writing - trying to write in a Babel fit for
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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 Euthyphro by Plato: fightings among them.
EUTHYPHRO: Very true.
SOCRATES: Then the same things are hated by the gods and loved by the
gods, and are both hateful and dear to them?
EUTHYPHRO: True.
SOCRATES: And upon this view the same things, Euthyphro, will be pious and
also impious?
EUTHYPHRO: So I should suppose.
SOCRATES: Then, my friend, I remark with surprise that you have not
answered the question which I asked. For I certainly did not ask you to
tell me what action is both pious and impious: but now it would seem that
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