| 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: At other times he assumed the shapes of all manner of beasts,
roaring and making a terrible din and bellowing; or again he
became a dragon, adder, or basilisk. But that fair and right
noble athlete kept his soul in quietness, for he had made the
Most High his refuge: and, being sober in mind, he laughed the
evil one to scorn, and said, "I know thee, deceiver, who thou
art, which stiffest up this trouble for me; which from the
beginning didst devise mischief against mankind, and art ever
wicked, and never stintest to do hurt. How becoming and right
proper is thy habit, that thou shouldest take the shape of beasts
and of creeping things, and thus display thy bestial and crooked
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: and bade him to take notice of my usage. 'And pray, Mr.
Constable,' said I, 'ask that villain's name,' pointing to the
man. The constable reproved him decently, told him that he
did not know what he did, for he knew that his master
acknowledged I was not the person that was in his shop; 'and,'
says the constable, 'I am afraid your master is bringing himself,
and me too, into trouble, if this gentlewoman comes to prove
who she is, and where she was, and it appears that she is not
the woman you pretend to.' 'Damn her,' says the fellow again,
with a impudent, hardened face, 'she is the lady, you may depend
upon it; I'll swear she is the same body that was in the shop,
Moll Flanders |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Pool of Blood in the Pastor's Study by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: its transport to the railway station, as he himself preferred to
walk the inconsiderable distance. He passed through the village
and had just entered the open fields when he met Janci with his
flock. The shepherd hastened his steps when he saw the detective
approaching.
"You have found him, sir?" he exclaimed as he came up to Muller.
The men had come to be friends by this time. The silent shepherd
with the power of second sight had won Muller's interest at once.
"Yes, I found him. It is Gyuri, the warder at the asylum."
"No, sir, it is not Gyuri - Gyuri did not do it."
"But when I tell you that he did?"
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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 Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli: him; and Oliverotto, having made his obeisance, joined the others.
So the whole party entered Sinigalia, dismounted at the duke's
quarters, and went with him into a secret chamber, where the duke made
them prisoners; he then mounted on horseback, and issued orders that
the men of Oliverotto and the Orsini should be stripped of their arms.
Those of Oliverotto, being at hand, were quickly settled, but those of
the Orsini and Vitelli, being at a distance, and having a presentiment
of the destruction of their masters, had time to prepare themselves,
and bearing in mind the valour and discipline of the Orsinian and
Vitellian houses, they stood together against the hostile forces of
the country and saved themselves.
The Prince |
