| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: when he was not wanted.
"Why you ought to know Vronsky is that he's one of your rivals."
"Who's Vronsky?" said Levin, and his face was suddenly
transformed from the look of childlike ecstasy which Oblonsky had
jsut been admiring to an angry and unpleasant expression.
"Vronsky is one of the sons of Count Kirill Ivanovitch Vronsky,
and one of the finest specimens of the gilded youth of
Petersburg. I made his acquaintance in Tver when I was there on
official business, and he came there for the levy of recruits.
Fearfully rich, handsome, great connections, an aide-de-camp, and
with all that a very nice, good-natured fellow. But he's more
Anna Karenina |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson: said ye knew him!"
"Ay," replied Sir Daniel, "I know the lad;" and he chuckled. "But
he has fainted; and, by my sooth, he might have had less to faint
for! Hey, Dick? Did I put the fear of death upon you?"
"Indeed, Sir Daniel, ye did that," said Dick, and sighed again at
the mere recollection. "Nay, sir, saving your respect, I had as
lief 'a' met the devil in person; and to speak truth, I am yet all
a-quake. But what made ye, sir, in such a guise?"
Sir Daniel's brow grew suddenly black with anger.
"What made I?" he said. "Ye do well to mind me of it! What? I
skulked for my poor life in my own wood of Tunstall, Dick. We were
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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 Ballads by Robert Louis Stevenson: "Many a name I know,
But never a name like this;
O, where shall I find a skilly man
Shall tell me what it is?"
With many a man he counselled
Of high and low degree,
With the herdsmen on the mountains
And the fishers of the sea.
And he came and went unweary,
And read the books of yore,
And the runes that were written of old
Ballads |
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 Sanitary and Social Lectures by Charles Kingsley: "Yes, my boy. And for that very reason, I think we, the people,
will have our fountains; if it be but to make our governments, and
corporations, and all public bodies and officers, remember that
they all--save Her Majesty the Queen--are our servants, and not we
theirs; and that we choose to have water, not only to wash with,
but to play with, if we like. And I believe--for the world, as
you will find, is full not only of just but of generous souls--
that if the water-supply were set really right, there would be
found, in many a city, many a generous man who, over and above his
compulsory water-rate, would give his poor fellow-townsmen such a
real fountain as those which ennoble the great square at
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