| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln: It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate. . .we cannot consecrate. . .
we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead,
who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power
to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember,
what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.
It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished
work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.
It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining
before us. . .that from these honored dead we take increased devotion
to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion. . .
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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 Octopus by Frank Norris: family after fifteen days had elapsed.
At once, however, the suspicion forced itself upon him that Mrs.
Hooven--and Minna, too for the matter of that--country-bred,
ignorant of city ways, might easily come to grief in the hard,
huge struggle of city life. This suspicion had swiftly hardened
to a conviction, acting at last upon which Presley had followed
them to San Francisco, bent upon finding and assisting them.
The house to which Presley was led by the address in his
memorandum book was a cheap but fairly decent hotel near the
power house of the Castro Street cable. He inquired for Mrs.
Hooven.
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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 Second Inaugural Address by Abraham Lincoln: in regard to it is ventured.
On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts
were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it--
all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered
from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war,
insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war--
seeking to dissolve the Union, and divide effects, by negotiation.
Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather
than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather
than let it perish. And the war came.
One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed
Second Inaugural Address |
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 Light of Western Stars by Zane Grey: the shrubbery. This was not by any means the first time Madeline
had seen him avoid a possible meeting with her. Somehow the act
had pained her, though affording her a relief. She did not want
to meet him face to face.
It was annoying for her to guess that Stillwell had something to
say in Stewart's defense. The old cattleman was evidently
distressed. Several times he had tried to open a conversation
with Madeline relating to Stewart; she had evaded him until the
last time, when his persistence had brought a cold and final
refusal to hear another word about the foreman. Stillwell had
been crushed.
The Light of Western Stars |
