| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Master of Ballantrae by Robert Louis Stevenson: hand.
"You should have told me at first," he odd.
"Ah, my lord! indeed I should, and you may well hate the face of
this unfaithful servant!" I cried.
"I will take order," said he, "at once." And again made the
movement to rise.
Again I checked him. "I have not done," said I. "Would God I had!
All this my dear, unfortunate patron has endured without help or
countenance. Your own best word, my lord, was only gratitude. Oh,
but he was your son, too! He had no other father. He was hated in
the country, God knows how unjustly. He had a loveless marriage.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: bitterest providences, and give us cause to praise Him for dungeons
and prisons! What a table was here spread for me in the
wilderness, where I saw nothing at first but to perish for hunger!
CHAPTER XI - FINDS PRINT OF MAN'S FOOT ON THE SAND
IT would have made a Stoic smile to have seen me and my little
family sit down to dinner. There was my majesty the prince and
lord of the whole island; I had the lives of all my subjects at my
absolute command; I could hang, draw, give liberty, and take it
away, and no rebels among all my subjects. Then, to see how like a
king I dined, too, all alone, attended by my servants! Poll, as if
he had been my favourite, was the only person permitted to talk to
Robinson Crusoe |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Moral Emblems by Robert Louis Stevenson: Regard your friend and school companion,
Soon to be wed to Miss Trevanion
(Smooth, honourable, fat and flowery,
With Heaven knows how much land in dowry),
Look at me - Am I in good case?
Look at my hands, look at my face;
Look at the cloth of my apparel;
Try me and test me, lock and barrel;
And own, to give the devil his due,
I have made more of life than you.
Yet I nor sought nor risked a life;
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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 Hiero by Xenophon: the hearts of others, fearing lest some evil overtake you. You will
have about you faithful lieges, willing subjects, nimble servitors.
You shall behold how, as a matter of free choice, they will display a
providential care for you. And if danger threatens, you will find in
them not simply fellow-warriors, but champions eager to defend you
with their lives.[11]
[11] Not {summakhoi}, but {promakhoi}.
Worthy of many gifts you shall be deemed, and yet be never at a loss
for some well-wisher with whom to share them. You shall command a
world-wide loyalty; a whole people shall rejoice with you at your good
fortunes, a whole people battle for your interests, as if in very deed
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