| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: were pleased with Girty's discomfiture. They jabbered among themselves and
nodded approvingly at Joe, until a few words spoken by Silvertip produced a
sudden change.
What the words were Joe could not understand, but to him they sounded like
French. He smiled at the absurdity of imagining he had heard a savage speak a
foreign language. At any rate, whatever had been said was trenchant with
meaning. The Indians changed from gay to grave; they picked up their weapons
and looked keenly on every side; the big Indian at once retied Joe, and then
all crowded round the chief.
"Did you hear what Silvertip said, and did you notice the effect it had?"
whispered Jim, taking advantage, of the moment.
The Spirit of the Border |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Memoir of Fleeming Jenkin by Robert Louis Stevenson: able to repair it.
'Bona: October 14.
'We left Cagliari at 4.30 on the 9th and soon got to Spartivento.
I repeated some of my experiments, but found Thomson, who was to
have been my grand stand-by, would not work on that day in the
wretched little hut. Even if the windows and door had been put in,
the wind which was very high made the lamp flicker about and blew
it out; so I sent on board and got old sails, and fairly wrapped
the hut up in them; and then we were as snug as could be, and I
left the hut in glorious condition with a nice little stove in it.
The tent which should have been forthcoming from the cure's for the
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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 Vendetta by Honore de Balzac: in keeping with Bartolomeo and his wife, personages worthy of
antiquity.
Under the Empire, and during the Hundred Days, while exercising
functions that were liberally rewarded, the old Corsican had
maintained a great establishment, more for the purpose of doing honor
to his office than from any desire to shine himself. His life and that
of his wife were so frugal, so tranquil, that their modest fortune
sufficed for all their wants. To them, their daughter Ginevra was more
precious than the wealth of the whole world. When, therefore, in May,
1814, the Baron di Piombo resigned his office, dismissed his crowd of
servants, and closed his stable door, Ginevra, quiet, simple and
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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 Marie by H. Rider Haggard: appealed to me, whom they had recognised, asking if that were not the
custom of their country.
I answered that I had not been in it long enough to know. Then there
was a pause while they sent for someone to bear evidence; at the time I
did not know whom, as I was not near enough to Thomas Halstead to make
inquiries. Presently this someone appeared, and turned out to be none
other than Hernan Pereira.
He advanced towards us attended by Zulus, as though he were a chief,
looking fat and well and handsomer than ever. Seeing Retief, he lifted
his hat with a flourish and held out his hand, which, I noted, the
commandant did not take.
Marie |
