The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Tanach: Psalms 106: 24 Moreover, they scorned the desirable land, they believed not His word;
Psalms 106: 25 And they murmured in their tents, they hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.
Psalms 106: 26 Therefore He swore concerning them, that He would overthrow them in the wilderness;
Psalms 106: 27 And that He would cast out their seed among the nations, and scatter them in the lands.
Psalms 106: 28 They joined themselves also unto Baal of Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
Psalms 106: 29 Thus they provoked Him with their doings, and the plague broke in upon them.
Psalms 106: 30 Then stood up Phinehas, and wrought judgment, and so the plague was stayed.
Psalms 106: 31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness, unto all generations for ever.
Psalms 106: 32 They angered Him also at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses because of them;
Psalms 106: 33 For they embittered his spirit, and he spoke rashly with his lips.
Psalms 106: 34 They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them;
 The Tanach |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Heart of the West by O. Henry: grocery of his own some day."
"He will," says I.
"There was lots of women at the wedding," says Mack, smoking up. "But
I didn't seem to get any ideas from 'em. I wish I was informed in the
structure of their attainments like you said you was."
"That was two months ago," says I, reaching up for the banjo.
III
TELEMACHUS, FRIEND
Returning from a hunting trip, I waited at the little town of Los
Pinos, in New Mexico, for the south-bound train, which was one hour
late. I sat on the porch of the Summit House and discussed the
 Heart of the West |