| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Moon-Face and Other Stories by Jack London: to bed, leaving you to go on with your experiments. That will be the best way,
and you can tell me in the morning." Mingled with the "Good-nights," were
half-hearted protests from Mrs. Grantly, as Aunt Mildred withdrew.
"Robert can return," she called back, "as soon as he has seen me to my tent."
"It would be a shame to give it up now," Mrs. Grantly said. "There is no
telling what we are on the verge of. Won't you try it, Miss Story?"
Lute obeyed, but when she placed her hand on the board she was conscious of a
vague and nameless fear at this toying with the supernatural. She was
twentieth-century, and the thing in essence, as her uncle had said, was
mediaeval. Yet she could not shake off the instinctive fear that arose in
her--man's inheritance from the wild and howling ages when his hairy, apelike
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Padre Ignacio by Owen Wister: "And that is often wrong!" said the Padre, gently and gravely. "But I'm
not your confessor."
"No," said Gaston, looking down. "And it is all over. It will not begin
again. Since leaving New Orleans I have traveled an innocent journey
straight to you. And when I make my fortune I shall be in a position to
return and--"
"Claim the pressed flowrer?" suggested the Padre. He did not smile.
"Ah, you remember how those things are!" said Gaston: and he laughed and
blushed.
"Yes," said the Padre, looking at the anchored barkentine, "I remember
how those things are."
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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 Hunting of the Snark by Lewis Carroll: They sought it with thimbles, they sought it with care;
They pursued it with forks and hope;
They threatened its life with a railway-share;
They charmed it with smiles and soap.
Then the Butcher contrived an ingenious plan
For making a separate sally;
And fixed on a spot unfrequented by man,
A dismal and desolate valley.
But the very same plan to the Beaver occurred:
It had chosen the very same place:
Yet neither betrayed, by a sign or a word,
The Hunting of the Snark |
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 Koran: What! canst thou make the deaf to hear, or guide the blind, or him
who is in obvious error?
Whether then we take thee off we will surely take vengeance on them;
or whether we show thee that which we have promised them; for, verily,
we have power over them.
Say, 'Dost thou hold to what is inspired thee verily, thou art in
the right way, and, verily, it is a reminder to thee and to thy
people, but in the end they shall be asked.
And ask those whom we have sent before thee amongst the prophets,
'Did we make gods beside the Merciful One for them to serve?'
We did send Moses with our signs to Pharaoh and his chiefs, and he
The Koran |
