| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Secret Places of the Heart by H. G. Wells: controversy in his manner. "I was explaining to the young
lady that it dates from the early bronze age. Before
chronology existed. . . . But she insists on dates."
"Nothing of bronze has ever been found here," said Sir
Richmond.
"Well, when was this early bronze age, anyhow?" said the
young lady.
Sir Richmond sought a recognizable datum. "Bronze got to
Britain somewhere between the times of Moses and Solomon."
"Ah! " said the young lady, as who should say, 'This man at
least talks sense.'
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane: forces. They slowly retreated, with their faces
still toward the spluttering woods, and their hot
rifles still replying to the din. Several officers
were giving orders, their voices keyed to screams.
"Where in hell yeh goin'?" the lieutenant was
asking in a sarcastic howl. And a red-bearded
officer, whose voice of triple brass could plainly
be heard, was commanding: "Shoot into 'em!
Shoot into 'em, Gawd damn their souls!" There
was a melee of screeches, in which the men were
ordered to do conflicting and impossible things.
The Red Badge of Courage |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Virginian by Owen Wister: had come to seem his own. It belonged to no man, for it was deep
in the unsurveyed and virgin wilderness; neither had he ever made
his camp here with any man, nor shared with any the intimate
delight which the place gave him. Therefore for many weeks he had
planned to bring her here after their wedding, upon the day
itself, and show her and share with her his pines and his fishing
rock. He would bid her smell the first true breath of the
mountains, would watch with her the sinking camp-fire, and with
her listen to the water as it flowed round the island.
Until this wedding plan, it had by no means come home to him how
deep a hold upon him the island had taken. He knew that he liked
The Virginian |
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 The Dynamiter by Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Van De Grift Stevenson: after-thought I leave you to consider?'
'Madam Jezebel?' said he. 'Well, she is a dangerous devil;
the police are after her, besides, for a whole series of
murders; but after all, what then? To be sure, she has a
great influence with you coloured folk. But what in
fortune's name can be her errand here?'
'The jewels,' I replied. 'Ah, sir, had you seen that
treasure, sapphire and emerald and opal, and the golden
topaz, and rubies red as the sunset - of what incalculable
worth, of what unequalled beauty to the eye! - had you seen
it, as I have, and alas! as SHE has - you would understand
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