| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Tanach: Jeremiah 28: 1 And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azzur the prophet, who was of Gibeon, spoke unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying:
Jeremiah 28: 2 'Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Jeremiah 28: 3 Within two full years will I bring back into this place all the vessels of the LORD'S house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon;
Jeremiah 28: 4 and I will bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went to Babylon, saith the LORD; for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.'
Jeremiah 28: 5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the LORD,
Jeremiah 28: 6 even the prophet Jeremiah said: 'Amen! the LORD do so! the LORD perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the LORD'S house, and all them that are carried away captive, from Babylon unto this place!
Jeremiah 28: 7 Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people:
The Tanach |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe: more with equals, and less with dependents."
"Since training children is the staple work of the human race,"
said Augustine, "I should think it something of a consideration
that our system does not work well there."
"It does not for some things," said Alfred; "for others, again,
it does. It makes boys manly and courageous; and the very
vices of an abject race tend to strengthen in them the opposite
virtues. I think Henrique, now, has a keener sense of the beauty
of truth, from seeing lying and deception the universal badge of
slavery."
"A Christian-like view of the subject, certainly!" said Augustine.
Uncle Tom's Cabin |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Aesop's Fables by Aesop: Fox," said Master Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the
tree. "Good-day, Mistress Crow," he cried. "How well you are
looking to-day: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eye. I
feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as
your figure does; let me hear but one song from you that I may
greet you as the Queen of Birds." The Crow lifted up her head and
began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the
piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by
Master Fox. "That will do," said he. "That was all I wanted. In
exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the
future
Aesop's Fables |
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 Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: the grooms at once, to whom a West-countryman was of course a
brother. The old steward asked--
"What's thy mother's name, then?"
"Susan Yeo."
"What, that lived under the archway?" asked a groom.
"Lived?" said the man.
"Iss, sure; her died three days since, so we heard, poor soul."
The man stood quite silent and unmoved for a minute or two; and
then said quietly to himself, in Spanish, "That which is, is best."
"You speak Spanish?" asked Amyas, more and more interested.
"I had need to do so, young sir; I have been five years in the
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