| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from New Arabian Nights by Robert Louis Stevenson: up. Another hansom had just driven away, and Brackenbury could see
a gentleman being admitted at the front door and received by
several liveried servants. He was surprised that the cabman should
have stopped so immediately in front of a house where a reception
was being held; but he did not doubt it was the result of accident,
and sat placidly smoking where he was, until he heard the trap
thrown open over his head.
"Here we are, sir," said the driver.
"Here!" repeated Brackenbury. "Where?"
"You told me to take you where I pleased, sir," returned the man
with a chuckle, "and here we are."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Horse's Tale by Mark Twain: the handle at the least little thing. Why, she only wants you to
speak to him."
"Speak to him! Well, upon my word! All this unseemly rage and row
about such a - a - Dorcas, I never saw you carry on like this
before. You have alarmed the sentry; he thinks I am being
assassinated; he thinks there's a mutiny, a revolt, an
insurrection; he - "
"Marse Tom, you are just putting on; you know it perfectly well; I
don't know what makes you act like that - but you always did, even
when you was little, and you can't get over it, I reckon. Are you
over it now, Marse Tom?"
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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 A Book of Remarkable Criminals by H. B. Irving: clutches of the police. What was the meaning of her visit to the
Charonne Cemetery? She went there to pray, not to keep
assignations. "And if you want to know," she exclaimed, "I have
had typhoid fever, which makes me often forget things. So I
shall say nothing more--nothing--nothing."
Taken before the examining magistrate, her attitude continued to
be defiant and arrogant. "Your cleverest policemen," she told
the magistrate, "will never find any evidence against me. Think
well before you send me to prison. I am not the woman to live
long among thieves and prostitutes." Before deciding finally
whether the widow should be thrown into such uncongenial society,
A Book of Remarkable Criminals |
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 Mysterious Island by Jules Verne: country was situated in a higher latitude than the engineer had supposed.
Glades, bristling with stumps worn away by time, were covered with dry
wood, which formed an inexhaustible store of fuel. Then, the glade passed,
the underwood thickened again, and became almost impenetrable.
It was difficult enough to find the way among the groups of trees, without
any beaten track. So the sailor from time to time broke off branches which
might be easily recognized. But, perhaps, he was wrong not to follow the
watercourse, as he and Herbert had done on their first excursion, for after
walking an hour not a creature had shown itself. Top, running under the
branches, only roused birds which could not be approached. Even the
couroucous were invisible, and it was probable that the sailor would be
The Mysterious Island |
