| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tom Grogan by F. Hopkinson Smith: trousers showed more wear than his hands.
Immediately upon his appointment, Crimmins went to McGaw's house
to talk over the line of attack. The conference was held in the
sitting-room and behind closed doors--so tightly closed that young
Billy McGaw, with one eye in mourning from the effect of a recent
street fight, was unable, even by the aid of the undamaged eye and
the keyhole, to get the slightest inkling of what was going on
inside.
When the door was finally opened and McGaw and Crimmins came out,
they brought with them an aroma the pungency of which was
explained by two empty glasses and a black bottle decorating one
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from In the Cage by Henry James: Ramsgate against Bournemouth and even Boulogne against Jersey--for
he had great ideas--with all the mastery of detail that was some
day, professionally, to carry him afar.
The longer the time since she had seen Captain Everard the more she
was booked, as she called it, to pass Park Chambers; and this was
the sole amusement that in the lingering August days and the
twilights sadly drawn out it was left her to cultivate. She had
long since learned to know it for a feeble one, though its
feebleness was perhaps scarce the reason for her saying to herself
each evening as her time for departure approached: "No, no--not
to-night." She never failed of that silent remark, any more than
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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 When the World Shook by H. Rider Haggard: name in the world.
Of course this is a most futile desire, seeing that soon or
late every name must fade out of the world like an unfixed
photograph which is exposed to the sun. Even if it could endure,
as the old demigod, or demidevil, Oro, had pointed out, very
shortly, by comparison with Time's unmeasured vastness, the whole
solar system will also fade. So of what use is this feeble love
of fame and this vain attempt to be remembered that animates us
so strongly? Moreover, the idea of enjoying mere temporal as
opposed to intellectual power, appealed to me not at all. I am a
student of history and I know what has been the lot of kings and
When the World Shook |
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 Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton: always find everything: every time the door shut on her now,
and the sound of voices ceased, her memories would be there
waiting for her, every one of them, waiting quietly, patiently,
obstinately, like poor people in a doctor's office, the people
who are always last to be attended to, but whom nothing will
discourage or drive away, people to whom time is nothing,
fatigue nothing, hunger nothing, other engagements nothing: who
just wait .... Thank heaven, after all, that she had not found
the house empty, if, whenever she returned to her room, she was
to meet her memories there!
It was just a week since Nick had left her. During that week,
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