| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte: slightly, and smiling again. 'I saw a great deal of him while we
were in London; for, as soon as he heard we were there, he came up
under pretence of visiting his brother, and either followed me,
like a shadow, wherever I went, or met me, like a reflection, at
every turn. You needn't look so shocked, Miss Grey; I was very
discreet, I assure you, but, you know, one can't help being
admired. Poor fellow! He was not my only worshipper; though he
was certainly the most conspicuous, and, I think, the most devoted
among them all. And that detestable - ahem - and Sir Thomas chose
to take offence at him - or my profuse expenditure, or something -
I don't exactly know what - and hurried me down to the country at a
Agnes Grey |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Prince Otto by Robert Louis Stevenson: CHAPTER VI - THE PRINCE DELIVERS A LECTURE ON MARRIAGE, WITH
PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF DIVORCE
WITH what a world of excellent intentions Otto entered his wife's
cabinet! how fatherly, how tender! how morally affecting were the
words he had prepared! Nor was Seraphina unamiably inclined. Her
usual fear of Otto as a marplot in her great designs was now
swallowed up in a passing distrust of the designs themselves. For
Gondremark, besides, she had conceived an angry horror. In her
heart she did not like the Baron. Behind his impudent servility,
behind the devotion which, with indelicate delicacy, he still forced
on her attention, she divined the grossness of his nature. So a man
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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 Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain: pardon. The petition had been largely signed; many
tearful and eloquent meetings had been held, and a
committee of sappy women been appointed to go in
deep mourning and wail around the governor, and
implore him to be a merciful ass and trample his duty
under foot. Injun Joe was believed to have killed five
citizens of the village, but what of that? If he had been
Satan himself there would have been plenty of weak-
lings ready to scribble their names to a pardon-petition,
and drip a tear on it from their permanently impaired
and leaky water-works.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer |
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 Cavalry General by Xenophon: inexpertness like that of eyesight over blindness.
[4] See "Horse." viii. 6; cf. "Hunting," xii. 2; "Cyrop." I. vi. 28
foll.
Nor should it be forgotten, that in order to be in thorough efficiency
the horses must not only be well fed and in good condition, but at the
same time so seasoned by toil that they will go through their work
without the risk of becoming broken-winded. And lastly, as bits and
saddle-cloths (to be efficient)[5] need to be attached by straps, a
cavalry general should never be without a good supply, whereby at a
trifling expense he may convert a number of nonplussed troopers into
serviceable fighting men.[6]
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