| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Essays of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson: The last particular in which the second cabin passenger remarkably
stands ahead of his brother of the steerage is one altogether of
sentiment. In the steerage there are males and females; in the
second cabin ladies and gentlemen. For some time after I came aboard
I thought I was only a male; but in the course of a voyage of
discovery between decks, I came on a brass plate, and learned that I
was still a gentleman. Nobody knew it, of course. I was lost in the
crowd of males and females, and rigorously confined to the same
quarter of the deck. Who could tell whether I housed on the port or
starboard side of steerage No. 2 and 3? And it was only there that
my superiority became practical; everywhere else I was incognito,
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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 Silverado Squatters by Robert Louis Stevenson: the mountains; but below it was a wooded dingle. And through
this, I was told, there had gone a path between the mine and
the Toll House - our natural north-west passage to
civilization. I found and followed it, clearing my way as I
went through fallen branches and dead trees. It went
straight down that steep canyon, till it brought you out
abruptly over the roofs of the hotel. There was nowhere any
break in the descent. It almost seemed as if, were you to
drop a stone down the old iron chute at our platform, it
would never rest until it hopped upon the Toll House
shingles. Signs were not wanting of the ancient greatness of
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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 Cromwell by William Shakespeare: And all to keep thee like a gentleman;
And dost thou let my servants at their work,
That sweat for thee, knave, labour thus for thee?
CROMWELL.
Father, their hammers do offend my study.
OLD CROMWELL.
Out of my doors, knave, if thou likest it not.
I cry you mercy! is your ears so fine?
I tell thee, knave, these get when I do sleep;
I will not have my Anvil stand for thee.
CROMWELL.
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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 Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: Village of Peace. Tarhe, the Huron chief, has been approached, and asked to
join in a concerted movement against religion. Seemingly it is not so much the
missionaries as the converted Indians, that the renegades are fuming over.
They know if the Christian savages are killed, the strength of the
missionaries' hold will be forever broken. Pipe is wild for blood. These
renegades are slowly poisoning the minds of the few chiefs who are favorably
disposed. The outlook is bad! bad!"
"What can I do?"
"Cut out for yourself. Get away, if you can, with a gun. Take the creek below,
follow the current down to the Ohio, and then make east for Fort Henry.
"But I want to rescue the white girl Jim Girty has concealed here somewhere."
The Spirit of the Border |
