| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Mad King by Edgar Rice Burroughs: tomed to this grim duty. The young officer who commanded
them was more nervous than the prisoner--it was his first
detail with a firing squad. He looked wonderingly at Bar-
ney, expecting momentarily to see the man collapse, or at
least show some sign of terror at his close impending fate;
but the American walked silently toward his death, puffing
leisurely at his cigarette.
At last, after what seemed a long time, his guard turned
in at a large gateway in a brick wall surrounding a factory.
As they entered Barney saw twenty or thirty men in civilian
dress, guarded by a dozen infantrymen. They were stand-
The Mad King |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The War in the Air by H. G. Wells: Laurier's back inexorably ahead, through a land like a larger
England, with bigger hills and wider valleys, larger fields,
wider roads, fewer hedges, and wooden houses with commodious
piazzas. He rode. Laurier made inquiries, Laurier chose the
turnings, Laurier doubted, Laurier decided. Now it seemed they
were in telephonic touch with the President; now something had
happened and he was lost again. But always they had to go on,
and always Bert rode. A tyre was deflated. Still he rode. He
grew saddle sore. Laurier declared that unimportant. Asiatic
flying ships passed overhead, the two cyclists made a dash for
cover until the sky was clear. Once a red Asiatic flying-machine
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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 Wyoming by William MacLeod Raine: the wily pony side-stepped, and the loop slithered to the ground.
Again the rope shot forward, dropped over the pony's head and
tightened. The roper's mustang braced its forefeet, and brought
the buckskin up short. Another rope swept over its head. It stood
trembling, unable to move without strangling itself.
A picturesque youth in flannel shirt and chaps came forward,
dragging blanket, saddle and bridle. At sight of him the horse
gave a spasmodic fling, then trembled again violently. A blind
was coaxed over its eyes and the bridle slipped on. Quickly and
warily, with deft fingers, the young man saddled and cinched. He
waved a hand jauntily to the ropers. The lariats were thrown off
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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 Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: palm-leaf roof.
Lakamba roused himself from his apathy with an appearance of
having grasped the situation at last.
"Babalatchi," he called briskly, giving him a slight kick.
"Ada Tuan! I am listening."
"If the Orang Blanda come here, Babalatchi, and take Almayer to
Batavia to punish him for smuggling gunpowder, what will he do,
you think?"
"I do not know, Tuan."
"You are a fool," commented Lakamba, exultingly. "He will tell
them where the treasure is, so as to find mercy. He will."
Almayer's Folly |
