| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde: eight bottles of champagne are entered as having been consumed.
LANE. Yes, sir; eight bottles and a pint.
ALGERNON. Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the
servants invariably drink the champagne? I ask merely for
information.
LANE. I attribute it to the superior quality of the wine, sir. I
have often observed that in married households the champagne is
rarely of a first-rate brand.
ALGERNON. Good heavens! Is marriage so demoralising as that?
LANE. I believe it IS a very pleasant state, sir. I have had very
little experience of it myself up to the present. I have only been
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Man of Business by Honore de Balzac: Chamber cut short his career with a couple of years in jail?" asked
the lorette.
"The same. Under the Restoration, between 1823 and 1827, Cerizet's
occupation consisted in first putting his name intrepidly to various
paragraphs, on which the public prosecutor fastened with avidity, and
subsequently marching off to prison. A man could make a name for
himself with small expense in those days. The Liberal party called
their provincial champion 'the courageous Cerizet,' and towards 1828
so much zeal received its reward in 'general interest.'
" 'General interest' is a kind of civic crown bestowed on the
deserving by the daily press. Cerizet tried to discount the 'general
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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 Michael Strogoff by Jules Verne: There, everyone was lying asleep, not only on the benches,
but also on the bales, packages, and even the deck itself.
Some care was necessary not to tread on the sleepers, who
were lying about everywhere. They were chiefly mujiks,
accustomed to hard couches, and quite satisfied with the
planks of the deck. But no doubt they would, all the same,
have soundly abused the clumsy fellow who roused them
with an accidental kick.
Michael Strogoff took care, therefore, not to disturb any-
one. By going thus to the end of the boat, he had no other
idea but that of striving against sleep by a rather longer
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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 Malbone: An Oldport Romance by Thomas Wentworth Higginson: as a settled thing, evaded all talk with Aunt Jane, and coolly
said to Kate that she had no objection to Mr. Lambert, and
might as well marry him as anybody else.
"I am not like you and Hal, you know," said she. "I have no
fancy for love in a cottage. I never look well in anything
that is not costly. I have not a taste that does not imply a
fortune. What is the use of love? One marries for love, and is
unhappy ever after. One marries for money, and perhaps gets
love after all. I dare say Mr. Lambert loves me, though I do
not see why he should."
"I fear he does," said Kate, almost severely.
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