| 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: and with it an explanation of the cause that prevented a flier
that passed too far across the ice-barrier ever returning.
The shaft was a mighty magnet, and when once a vessel came within
the radius of its powerful attraction for the aluminum steel
that enters so largely into the construction of all Barsoomian craft,
no power on earth could prevent such an end as we had just witnessed.
I afterward learned that the shaft rests directly over the magnetic pole
of Mars, but whether this adds in any way to its incalculable power of
attraction I do not know. I am a fighting man, not a scientist.
The Warlord of Mars |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lin McLean by Owen Wister: the girl rose quickly to preside over her ticket-office and duties behind
the railing in the front room of the station. The boy ran to the window
to watch the great event of Separ's day. The locomotive loomed out from
the yellow clots of drift, paused at the water-tank, and then with steam
and humming came slowly on by the platform. Slowly its long dust-choked
train emerged trundling behind it, and ponderously halted. There was no
one to go. No one came to buy a ticket of Jessamine. The conductor looked
in on business, but she had no telegraphic orders for him. The express
agent jumped off and looked in for pleasure. He received his daily smile
and nod of friendly discouragement. Then the light bundle of mail was
flung inside the door. Separ had no mail to go out. As she was picking up
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Light of Western Stars by Zane Grey: that her mind whirled. Then anger possessed her, not at Stewart,
but at herself, that anything could rouse in her a raw emotion.
She stood there, outwardly cold, serene, with level, haughty eyes
upon Stewart; but inwardly she was burning with rage and shame.
"I'm sure not going to have you think--" He began passionately,
but he broke off, and a slow, dull crimson blotted over the
healthy red-brown of his neck and cheeks.
"What you do or think, Stewart, is no concern of mine."
"Miss--Miss Hammond! You don't believe--" faltered Stewart.
The crimson receded from his face, leaving it pale. His eyes were
appealing. They had a kind of timid look that struck Madeline
The Light of Western Stars |
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 Moby Dick by Herman Melville: in the earthly make and incontestable character of the monster to
strike the imagination with unwonted power. For, it was not so much
his uncommon bulk that so much distinguished him from other sperm
whales, but, as was elsewhere thrown out--a peculiar snow-white
wrinkled forehead, and a high, pyramidical white hump. These were
his prominent features; the tokens whereby, even in the limitless,
uncharted seas, he revealed his identity, at a long distance, to
those who knew him.
The rest of his body was so streaked, and spotted, and marbled with
the same shrouded hue, that, in the end, he had gained his
distinctive appellation of the White Whale; a name, indeed, literally
Moby Dick |
