| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from War and the Future by H. G. Wells: fortification possible in Mexico could stand against it. It
could go from one end of the country to the other without serious
loss, and hunt down and capture anyone it wished....
The practical political consequence of the present development of
warfare, of the complete revolution in the conditions of warfare
since this century began, is to make war absolutely hopeless for
any peoples not able either to manufacture or procure the very
complicated appliances and munitions now needed for its
prosecution. Countries like Mexico, Bulgaria, Serbia,
Afghanistan or Abyssinia are no more capable of going to war
without the connivance and help of manufacturing states than
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Master of the World by Jules Verne: Hence the two millionaires, restored to their homes, went calmly on
with the construction of their own machine, the "Go-Ahead." They
hoped by means of it to soar once more into the regions they had
traversed with Robur, and to prove to themselves that their lighter
than air machine was at least the equal of the heavy "Albatross." If
they had not persisted, they would not have been true Americans.
On the twentieth of April in the following year the "Go-Ahead" was
finished and the ascent was made, from Fairmount Park in
Philadelphia. I myself was there with thousands of other spectators.
We saw the huge balloon rise gracefully; and, thanks to its powerful
screws, it maneuvered in every direction with surprising ease.
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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 The Village Rector by Honore de Balzac: comfort, they soon had a supper for their poor child. In this the
officials helped them; for an order had been given to do all that
could with safety be done for the condemned man. The des Vanneaulx had
contributed, with melancholy hope, toward the comfort of the man from
whom they still expected to recover their inheritance. Thus poor Jean-
Francois had a last glimpse of family joys, if joys they could be
called under such circumstances.
"Is my appeal rejected?" he said to Monsieur Bonnet.
"Yes, my child; nothing is left for you to do but to make a Christian
end. This life is nothing in comparison to that which awaits you; you
must think now of your eternal happiness. You can pay your debt to man
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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 Schoolmistress and Other Stories by Anton Chekhov: the fellows in the hut would ask him for vodka. The Tatar was ill
and weary, and wrapping himself up in his rags was describing
how nice it was in the Simbirsk province, and what a beautiful
and clever wife he had left behind at home. He was not more than
twenty five, and now by the light of the camp-fire, with his pale
and sick, mournful face, he looked like a boy.
"To be sure, it is not paradise here," said Canny. "You can see
for yourself, the water, the bare banks, clay, and nothing else.
. . . Easter has long passed and yet there is ice on the river,
and this morning there was snow. . ."
"It's bad! it's bad!" said the Tatar, and looked round him in
The Schoolmistress and Other Stories |
