| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Turn of the Screw by Henry James: had begun to read with a fine clearness that was like a rendering
to the ear of the beauty of his author's hand.
I
I remember the whole beginning as a succession of flights and drops,
a little seesaw of the right throbs and the wrong. After rising, in town,
to meet his appeal, I had at all events a couple of very bad days--
found myself doubtful again, felt indeed sure I had made a mistake.
In this state of mind I spent the long hours of bumping,
swinging coach that carried me to the stopping place at which I
was to be met by a vehicle from the house. This convenience,
I was told, had been ordered, and I found, toward the close
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Faraday as a Discoverer by John Tyndall: extinguished. If by any means, while the polarizer and analyzer
remain thus crossed, the plane of vibration of the polarized beam
between them could be changed, then the light would be, in part at
least, transmitted. In Faraday's experiment this was accomplished.
His magnet turned the plane of polarization of the beam through a
certain angle, and thus enabled it to get through the analyzer;
so that 'the magnetization of light and the illumination of the
magnetic lines of force' becomes, when expressed in the language of
modern theory, the rotation of the plane of polarization.
To him, as to all true philosophers, the main value of a fact was
its position and suggestiveness in the general sequence 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 The Chinese Boy and Girl by Isaac Taylor Headland: stream, they could but weep for their wretched condition,
for no bridge united its two banks, nor was it allowed that
any structure be built which would mar the contour of the
shining dome.
In their helplessness the magpies came to their rescue. At
early morn on the seventh day of the seventh moon, these
beautiful birds gathered in great flocks about the home of
the maiden, and hovering wing to wing above the river,
made a bridge across which her dainty feet might carry her
in safety. But when the time for separation came, the two
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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 Amazing Interlude by Mary Roberts Rinehart: belonged to him. He had interfered with her life, but he had had the
right to interfere.
And also there was in the back of her mind a feeling that was almost
guilt. She had let Henri tell her he loved her. She had even kissed
him. And there had been many times in the little house when Harvey, for
days at a time, had not even entered her thoughts. There was, therefore,
a very real tenderness in the face she lifted for his good-by kiss.
To Belle in the front hail Harvey gave a firm order.
"Don't let any reporters in," he said warningly. "This is strictly our
affair. It's a private matter. It's nobody's business what she did over
there. She's home. That's all that matters."
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