| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne: All this was, of course, well known to the members of the committee
when they met on the following evening.
The first speaker on this occasion was Major Elphinstone, who
had been the director of the gunpowder factories during the war.
"Gentlemen," said this distinguished chemist, "I begin with
some figures which will serve as the basis of our calculation.
The old 24-pounder shot required for its discharge sixteen pounds
of powder."
"You are certain of this amount?" broke in Barbicane.
"Quite certain," replied the major. "The Armstrong cannon
employs only seventy-five pounds of powder for a projectile
From the Earth to the Moon |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Silverado Squatters by Robert Louis Stevenson: never come any silver out of any portion of the mine; there
was no silver to come. At midnight trains of packhorses
might have been observed winding by devious tracks about the
shoulder of the mountain. They came from far away, from
Amador or Placer, laden with silver in "old cigar boxes."
They discharged their load at Silverado, in the hour of
sleep; and before the morning they were gone again with their
mysterious drivers to their unknown source. In this way,
twenty thousand pounds' worth of silver was smuggled in under
cover of night, in these old cigar boxes; mixed with
Silverado mineral; carted down to the mill; crushed,
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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 Baby Mine by Margaret Mayo: she was startled by a sharp exclamation from Zoie.
"Good heavens," cried Zoie, "I forgot to ask Maggie."
"Ask her what?" questioned Aggie.
"Boys or girls," said Zoie, with a solemn look toward the door
through which Jimmy had just disappeared.
"Well," decided Aggie, after a moment's reflection, "it's too
late now. Anyway," she concluded philosophically, "we couldn't
CHANGE it."
CHAPTER XX
With more or less damage to himself consequent on his excitement,
Alfred completed his shaving and hastened to return to his wife
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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 Beast in the Jungle by Henry James: person back at any time to what he was ten years before. If you've
lived away from it," she smiled, "so much the better."
"Ah if YOU haven't why should I?" he asked.
"Lived away, you mean, from what I myself was?"
"From what I was. I was of course an ass," Marcher went on; "but I
would rather know from you just the sort of ass I was than--from
the moment you have something in your mind--not know anything."
Still, however, she hesitated. "But if you've completely ceased to
be that sort--?"
"Why I can then all the more bear to know. Besides, perhaps I
haven't."
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