| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy: because Peter Gerasimovitch had retired from the room while the
questions and answers were being read, and chiefly because, being
tired, and wishing to get away as soon as possible, all were
ready to agree with the decision which would bring matters to an
end soonest.
The jurymen rang the bell. The gendarme who had stood outside the
door with his sword drawn put the sword back into the scabbard
and stepped aside. The judges took their seats and the jury came
out one by one.
The foreman brought in the paper with an air of solemnity and
handed it to the president, who looked at it, and, spreading out
Resurrection |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Dracula by Bram Stoker: a little exploring in the castle. I went out on the stairs,
and found a room looking towards the South.
The view was magnificent, and from where I stood there was every
opportunity of seeing it. The castle is on the very edge
of a terrific precipice. A stone falling from the window
would fall a thousand feet without touching anything!
As far as the eye can reach is a sea of green tree tops,
with occasionally a deep rift where there is a chasm.
Here and there are silver threads where the rivers wind in deep
gorges through the forests.
But I am not in heart to describe beauty, for when I had seen
Dracula |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Man in Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart: "I think the identity of the man is established," he said. "What
number of hat do you wear, Mr. Blakeley?"
"Seven and a quarter," I replied.
"Well, it's only piling up evidence," he said cheerfully. "On the
night of the murder you wore light gray silk underclothing, with the
second button of the shirt missing. Your hat had 'L. B.' in gilt
letters inside, and there was a very minute hole in the toe of one
black sock."
"Hush," McKnight protested. "If word gets to Mrs. Klopton that Mr.
Blakeley was wrecked, or robbed, or whatever it was, with a button
missing and a hole in one sock, she'll retire to the Old Ladies'
The Man in Lower Ten |
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: of Pharaoh's people, 'Verily, this is surely a knowing magician; he
desires to turn you out of your land;- What is it then ye bid? They
said, 'Give him and his brother some hope; and send into the cities to
collect and bring you every knowing magician.' And the magician came
to Pharaoh and said, 'Is there indeed a reward for us if we are
conquerors? He said, 'Yea! and ye shall be of those who draw nigh unto
me.' They said, 'O Moses! wilt thou cast down (thy rod) or shall we be
(first) to throw?' Said he, 'Throw down;' and when they threw down,
they did enchant the people's eyes, and made them dread, and brought a
mighty magic. But we inspired Moses (saying), 'Throw down thy rod, and
it will gulp down that which they devise;' and the truth stood fast,
The Koran |
