| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli: many friends as he could, neglecting none of those arts which are
necessary for that purpose. About this time Messer Francesco died,
leaving a son thirteen years of age named Pagolo, and having appointed
Castruccio to be his son's tutor and administrator of his estate.
Before he died Francesco called Castruccio to him, and prayed him to
show Pagolo that goodwill which he (Francesco) had always shown to
HIM, and to render to the son the gratitude which he had not been able
to repay to the father. Upon the death of Francesco, Castruccio became
the governor and tutor of Pagolo, which increased enormously his power
and position, and created a certain amount of envy against him in
Lucca in place of the former universal goodwill, for many men
The Prince |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe: conversed freely in London all the season of the plague in 1665, and
kept about him an antidote or cordial on purpose to take when he
thought himself in any danger, and he had such a rule to know or have
warning of the danger by as indeed I never met with before or since.
How far it may be depended on I know not. He had a wound in his
leg, and whenever he came among any people that were not sound,
and the infection began to affect him, he said he could know it by that
signal, viz., that his wound in his leg would smart, and look pale and
white; so as soon as ever he felt it smart it was time for him to
withdraw, or to take care of himself, taking his drink, which he always
carried about him for that purpose. Now it seems he found his wound
A Journal of the Plague Year |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Historical Lecturers and Essays by Charles Kingsley: volume which contains the beautiful epigram "Nympha Caledoniae" in
one part, the "Detectio Mariae Reginae" in another; and this
contrast is, no doubt, a faithful parallel of the reaction in the
popular mind. This reaction seems to have been general, and not
limited to the Protestant party; for the conditions under which it
became almost a part of the creed of the Church of Rome to believe
in her innocence had not arisen."
If Buchanan, as some of his detractors have thought, raised himself
by subserviency to the intrigues of the Regent Murray, the best
heads in Scotland seem to have been of a different opinion. The
murder of Murray did not involve Buchanan's fall. He had avenged
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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 The White Moll by Frank L. Packard: weapon.
Finding none, he stooped, picked up the flashlight, tested it, and
found it broken from its fall.
"Too bad you bust this, we'll have to go out in the dark after I
switch off the light," he said with unpleasant facetiousness. "I
didn't have one with me, or time to get one, when I got tipped off
there was something doing here to-night." He caught her ungently
by the arm. "Well, come along, my pretty lady! This'll make a
stir, this will! The White Moll!" He led her to the electric-light
switch, turned off the light, and, with his grasp tight upon her,
made for the front door. He chuckled in a sinister manner. "Say,
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