| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: of the equator one whit less warlike than their cold, cruel cousins
of the temperate zone. There were many times when either side
might have withdrawn without dishonor and thus ended hostilities,
but from the mad abandon with which each invariably renewed
hostilities I soon came to believe that what need not have been
more than a trifling skirmish would end only with the complete
extermination of one force or the other.
With the joy of battle once roused within me, I took keen delight
in the fray, and that my fighting was noted by the Kaolians was
often evidenced by the shouts of applause directed at me.
The Warlord of Mars |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Betty Zane by Zane Grey: of squirrels ran out. Several jumped to the ground. One perched on top of the
box. Another sprang on Betty's shoulder. "I fasten them up every night, for
I'm afraid the weasels and foxes will get them. The white squirrel is the only
albino we have seen around here. It took Jonathan weeks to trap him, but once
captured he soon grew tame. Is he not pretty?"
"He certainly is. I never saw one before; in fact, I did not know such a
beautiful little animal existed," answered Alfred, looking in admiration at
the graceful creature, as he leaped from the shelf to Betty's arm and ate from
her hand, his great, bushy white tail arching over his back and his small pink
eyes shining.
"There! Listen," said Betty. "Look at the fox squirrel, the big brownish red
Betty Zane |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen: the force of her objection. "They had already spent a week
in this manner in Conduit Street, and Lady Middleton
could not be displeased at their giving the same number
of days to such near relations."
Fanny paused a moment, and then, with fresh vigor, said,
"My love I would ask them with all my heart, if it
was in my power. But I had just settled within myself
to ask the Miss Steeles to spend a few days with us.
They are very well behaved, good kind of girls; and I think
the attention is due to them, as their uncle did so very
well by Edward. We can ask your sisters some other year,
Sense and Sensibility |
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 Tom Sawyer, Detective by Mark Twain: was tuckered out and had to hold up, he says, quite ca'm:
"And yet, all the same, Aunt Sally--"
"Shet up!" she says, "I don't want to hear another word
out of you."
So we was perfectly safe, then, and didn't have no more
trouble about that delay. Tom done it elegant.
CHAPTER VII. A NIGHT'S VIGIL
BENNY she was looking pretty sober, and she sighed some,
now and then; but pretty soon she got to asking about Mary,
and Sid, and Tom's aunt Polly, and then Aunt Sally's
clouds cleared off and she got in a good humor and joined
|
