| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from When the World Shook by H. Rider Haggard: to remain idle for so long. That would be wallowing in a bed of
idleness and shirking its duty which is to do its work. Also, as
she tells you, Bickley, you are not half so clever as you think
you are in your silly scepticism, and I have no doubt that there
are many things in other worlds which would expose your
ignorance, if only you could see them."
At this moment Oro turned and called his daughter. She went at
once, saying:
"Come, strangers, and you shall learn."
So we followed her.
"Daughter," he said, speaking in Orofenan, I think that we
When the World Shook |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Confidence by Henry James: but it was somehow concerned with the image of a young lady
whom Bernard had formerly known, and who had beautiful eyes,
into which--in the dream--he found himself looking.
He waked up to find himself looking into the crown of his hat,
which had been resting on the bridge of his nose.
He removed it, and half raised himself, resting on his elbow
and preparing to taste, in another position, of a little more
of that exquisite rest of which mention has just been made.
The world about him was still amusing and charming;
the chatter of his companions, losing itself in the large
sea-presence, the plash of the divers and swimmers,
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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 Riverman by Stewart Edward White: Orde glanced over the slip. It recited two and a quarter as the
agreed price; specified the date of delivery at Heinzman and
Proctor's booms; named twenty-five thousand dollars as the amount of
the bond, to be secured by fifty thousand dollars' worth of stock in
the new company. This looked satisfactery. Orde arose.
"I'm much obliged to you, Mr. Heinzman," said he. "I'll bring it
around Monday."
He had reached the gate to the grill before Heinzman called him
back.
"By the vay," the little German beamed up at him, swinging his fat
legs as the office-chair tipped back on its springs, "if it is to be
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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 Tales and Fantasies by Robert Louis Stevenson: went to and fro in it, feeding his terrors; he saw the
hollies, the snowy borders, the paths where he had sought
Alan, the high, conventual walls, the shut door - what! was
the door shut? Ay, truly, he had shut it - shut in his
money, his escape, his future life - shut it with these
hands, and none could now open it! He heard the snap of the
spring-lock like something bursting in his brain, and sat
astonied.
And then he woke again, terror jarring through his vitals.
This was no time to be idle; he must be up and doing, he must
think. Once at the end of this ridiculous cruise, once at
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