| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Silverado Squatters by Robert Louis Stevenson: my life, was conscious of so strong an atmosphere of holiday.
No word was spoken but of pleasure; and even when we drove in
silence, nods and smiles went round the party like
refreshments.
The sun shone out of a cloudless sky. Close at the zenith
rode the belated moon, still clearly visible, and, along one
margin, even bright. The wind blew a gale from the north;
the trees roared; the corn and the deep grass in the valley
fled in whitening surges; the dust towered into the air along
the road and dispersed like the smoke of battle. It was
clear in our teeth from the first, and for all the windings
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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 The Commission in Lunacy by Honore de Balzac: "Is such censure optional? If I were to stipulate with you, before
replying, that nothing should be said that could annoy Madame d'Espard
in the event of your report being in my favor, would the Court take my
request into consideration?"
The judge looked at the Marquis, and the two men exchanged sentiments
of equal magnanimity.
"Noel," said Popinot to his registrar, "go into the other room. If you
can be of use, I will call you in.--If, as I am inclined to think," he
went on, speaking to the Marquis when the clerk had gone out, "I find
that there is some misunderstanding in this case, I can promise you,
monsieur, that on your application the Court will act with due
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