| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Personal Record by Joseph Conrad: unexpectedly a grunting remark.
"You've done very well."
"Have I the two anchors at the bow, sir?" I asked.
"Yes."
I prepared myself then, as a last hope for the ship, to let them
both go in the most effectual manner, when his infernal system of
testing resourcefulness came into play again.
"But there's only one cable. You've lost the other."
It was exasperating.
"Then I would back them, if I could, and tail the heaviest hawser
on board on the end of the chain before letting go, and if she
A Personal Record |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Rape of Lucrece by William Shakespeare: May likewise be sepulchred in thy shade!
'Make me not object to the tell-tale day!
The light will show, character'd in my brow,
The story of sweet chastity's decay,
The impious breach of holy wedlock vow:
Yea, the illiterate, that know not how
To cipher what is writ in learned books,
Will quote my loathsome trespass in my looks.
'The nurse, to still her child, will tell my story
And fright her crying babe with Tarquin's name;
The orator, to deck his oratory,
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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 Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: all clad in shining mail of linked chain, riding at their head.
In the midst of all the guard, in a cart, with a halter about his neck,
rode Will Stutely. His face was pale with his wound and with loss
of blood, like the moon in broad daylight, and his fair hair was
clotted in points upon his forehead, where the blood had hardened.
When he came forth from the castle he looked up and he looked down,
but though he saw some faces that showed pity and some that showed
friendliness, he saw none that he knew. Then his heart sank within
him like a plummet of lead, but nevertheless he spoke up boldly.
"Give a sword into my hand, Sir Sheriff," said he, "and wounded man though
I be, I will fight thee and all thy men till life and strength be gone."
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood |
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 Moral Emblems by Robert Louis Stevenson: Strong Dutch cheese,
Old Kentucky rye,
Some like these;
Not I.
Some like Poe,
And others like Scott,
Some like Mrs. Stowe;
Some not.
Some like to laugh,
Some like to cry,
Some like chaff;
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