| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: hearken to me for the nonce, and thou shalt deliver me from
superstitious error, and thou shalt do whatever seemeth thee good
hereafter all the days of thy life."
Thus spake she; for indeed she had, for her adviser, one to whom
she lent a privy ear, and the pirate was well versed in
Scripture, being verily the creator and teacher of iniquity.
Thus then she spake with fawning words entangling him, right and
left, around with her toils and meshes, and she began to shake
the citadel of his soul, and to slacken his tension of purpose,
and to soften the temper of his mind. Then the sower of these
evil tares, and enemy of the righteous, when he saw the young
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Chinese Boy and Girl by Isaac Taylor Headland: Gone to the city.
Where has the little dog gone?
Run away.
Then, as they began to turn, they repeated:
The big dog's gone to the city;
The little dog's run away;
The egg has fallen and broken,
And the oil's leaked out, they say.
But you be a roller
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