| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Kenilworth by Walter Scott: none of you. Had this learned leech entered, think'st thou not
there had been such a coil betwixt him and Tressilian's
mediciner, that not the sleeper only, but the very dead might
have awakened? I know what larurm belongs to the discord of
doctors."
"And who is to take the blame of opposing the Queen's orders?"
said Tracy; "for, undeniably, Doctor Masters came with her
Grace's positive commands to cure the Earl."
"I, who have done the wrong, will bear the blame," said Walter.
"Thus, then, off fly the dreams of court favour thou hast
nourished," said Blount, "and despite all thy boasted art and
Kenilworth |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne: formations, schist, gneiss, and mica schist, resting upon that
unchangeable foundation, the granite.
Never had mineralogists found themselves in so marvellous a situation
to study nature in situ. What the boring machine, an insensible,
inert instrument, was unable to bring to the surface of the inner
structure of the globe, we were able to peruse with our own eyes and
handle with our own hands.
Through the beds of schist, coloured with delicate shades of green,
ran in winding course threads of copper and manganese, with traces of
platinum and gold. I thought, what riches are here buried at an
unapproachable depth in the earth, hidden for ever from the covetous
Journey to the Center of the Earth |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Somebody's Little Girl by Martha Young: Then Sister Mary Felice took one to try.
Then always Sister Angela, with the Indian basket on her arm, took
all the little girls to the long back gallery that was latticed in.
On a low shelf close against the lattice sat a row of white basins.
Then all the little tiny girls washed their little tiny hands in the
white basins. And while they washed their little tiny hands by twos
and by threes together, two little girls washing their hands in one
basin together, three little girls washing their hands together,
they all oftentimes laughed together and said:
``Wash together!
And be friends forever!
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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 Lemorne Versus Huell by Elizabeth Drew Stoddard: through the bridle.
"I am a runaway. What do you think of the Fugitive Slave Bill?"
"I approve of returning property to its owners."
"The sea must have been God's temple first, instead of the
groves."
"I believe the Saurians were an Orthodox tribe."
"Did you stop yonder to ponder the sea?"
"I was pondering 'Lemorne vs. Huell.'"
He looked at me earnestly, and then gave a tug at the bridle, for
his steed was inclined to make a crude repast from the bushes.
"How was it that I did not detect you at once?" he continued.
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