| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from An International Episode by Henry James: upon those distinctions, and that Mr. Westgate had written to her
of his English friends in terms that made her really anxious.
"He said you were so terribly prostrated," said Mrs. Westgate.
"Oh, you mean by the heat?" replied Percy Beaumont.
"We were rather knocked up, but we feel wonderfully better.
We had such a jolly--a-- voyage down here. It's so very good
of you to mind."
"Yes, it's so very kind of you," murmured Lord Lambeth.
Mrs. Westgate stood smiling; she was extremely pretty. "Well, I did mind,"
she said; "and I thought of sending for you this morning to the Ocean House.
I am very glad you are better, and I am charmed you have arrived.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde: another's arms to try and keep themselves warm. "How hungry we
are!" they said. "You must not lie here," shouted the Watchman,
and they wandered out into the rain.
Then he flew back and told the Prince what he had seen.
"I am covered with fine gold," said the Prince, "you must take it
off, leaf by leaf, and give it to my poor; the living always think
that gold can make them happy."
Leaf after leaf of the fine gold the Swallow picked off, till the
Happy Prince looked quite dull and grey. Leaf after leaf of the
fine gold he brought to the poor, and the children's faces grew
rosier, and they laughed and played games in the street. "We have
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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 Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin: in founding royal libraries, royal art galleries, royal museums,
royal gardens, and places of rest. Might it not be better somewhat
for both French and English?
It will be long, yet, before that comes to pass. Nevertheless, I
hope it will not be long before royal or national libraries will be
founded in every considerable city, with a royal series of books in
them; the same series in every one of them, chosen books, the best
in every kind, prepared for that national series in the most perfect
way possible; their text printed all on leaves of equal size, broad
of margin, and divided into pleasant volumes, light in the hand,
beautiful, and strong, and thorough as examples of binders' work;
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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 Twilight Land by Howard Pyle: it--
Good Gifts and a Fool's Folly.
Give a fool heaven and earth, and all the stars, and he will make
ducks and drakes of them.
Once upon a time there was an old man, who, by thrifty living and
long saving, had laid by a fortune great enough to buy ease and
comfort and pleasure for a lifetime.
By-and-by he died, and the money came to his son, who was of a
different sort from the father; for, what that one had gained by
the labor of a whole year, the other spent in riotous living in
one week.
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