| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas: six fighting men; if we should meet a little troop of
enemies, equal or even superior in number to our own, shall
we charge them, Raoul?"
"Certainly, sir," replied the viscount.
"Holloa! young people -- stop there!" said the tutor,
joining in the conversation. "Zounds! how you manoeuvre my
instructions, count! You seem to forget the orders I
received to conduct you safe and sound to his highness the
prince! Once with the army you may be killed at your good
pleasure; but until that time, I warn you that in my
capacity of general of the army I shall order a retreat and
Twenty Years After |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: his sisters by the hand, while the third hung about his neck--"I
see you--I count you--my grandmother, Lilias, Jean, and Annot;
but where is--" (he hesitated, and then continued, as if with an
effort), "Where is Grace? Surely this is not a time to hide
hersell frae me--there's nae time for daffing now."
"O, brother!" and "Our poor Grace!" was the only answer his
questions could procure, till his grandmother rose up, and gently
disengaged him from the weeping girls, led him to a seat, and
with the affecting serenity which sincere piety, like oil
sprinkled on the waves, can throw over the most acute feelings,
she said, "My bairn, when thy grandfather was killed in the wars,
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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 Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: light, so he has two particular qualities, which generally are the
rule of his actions; first, as to men, who are not his proper prey
(he does not usually attempt them, except they first attack him,
unless he be excessively hungry, which it is probable might now be
the case, the ground being covered with snow), if you do not meddle
with him, he will not meddle with you; but then you must take care
to be very civil to him, and give him the road, for he is a very
nice gentleman; he will not go a step out of his way for a prince;
nay, if you are really afraid, your best way is to look another way
and keep going on; for sometimes if you stop, and stand still, and
look steadfastly at him, he takes it for an affront; but if you
Robinson Crusoe |
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 Pupil by Henry James: had a sort of professional acquaintance with Continental cities.
They talked of "good places" as if they had been pickpockets or
strolling players. They had at Nice a villa, a carriage, a piano
and a banjo, and they went to official parties. They were a
perfect calendar of the "days" of their friends, which Pemberton
knew them, when they were indisposed, to get out of bed to go to,
and which made the week larger than life when Mrs. Moreen talked of
them with Paula and Amy. Their initiations gave their new inmate
at first an almost dazzling sense of culture. Mrs. Moreen had
translated something at some former period - an author whom it made
Pemberton feel borne never to have heard of. They could imitate
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