The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso: Within thy breast make ruth or pity rise,
But their false looks and prayers false despise."
XI
Thus he advised him, and the hardy knight
Prepared him gladly to this enterprise,
Thoughtful he passed the day, and sad the night;
And ere the silver morn began to rise,
His arms he took, and in a coat him dight
Of color strange, cut in the warlike guise;
And on his way sole, silent, forth he went
Alone, and left his friends, and left his tent.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tom Sawyer Abroad by Mark Twain: shinned down the ladder and fetched up the kid, which
was a nice fat little thing, and in a noble good humor,
too, considering it was just out of a battle and been
tumbled off of a horse; and then we started for the
mother, and stopped back of her and tolerable near
by, and Jim slipped down and crept up easy, and when
he was close back of her the child goo-goo'd, the way
a child does, and she heard it, and whirled and fetched
a shriek of joy, and made a jump for the kid and
snatched it and hugged it, and dropped it and hugged
Jim, and then snatched off a gold chain and hung it
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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 The Ball at Sceaux by Honore de Balzac: that the audience applauded enthusiastically. Their adieux were in a
conventional tone, which concealed their happiness. In short, this day
had been to Emilie like a chain binding her more closely than ever to
the Stranger's fate. The strength and dignity he had displayed in the
scene when they had confessed their feelings had perhaps impressed
Mademoiselle de Fontaine with the respect without which there is no
true love.
When she was left alone in the drawing-room with her father, the old
man went up to her affectionately, held her hands, and asked her
whether she had gained any light at to Monsieur Longueville's family
and fortune.
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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 The Human Drift by Jack London: has broken my heart. I shall never be happy again. I know I am
terrible, but I can't help it. I must have been born wicked.
NED. [Absent-mindedly bringing out a cigarette and striking a
match.] Do you mind if I smoke? [Coming to himself again, and
flinging away match and cigarette.] I beg your pardon. I don't
want to smoke. I didn't mean that at all. What I mean is . . .
[He bends over LORETTA, catches her hands in his, then sits on arm
of chair, softly puts one arm around her, and is about to kiss
her.]
LORETTA. [With horror, repulsing him.] No! No!
NED. [Surprised.] What's the matter?
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