| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Disputation of the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences by Dr. Martin Luther: 12. [62] Verus thesaurus ecclesie est sacrosanctum euangelium
glorie et gratie dei.
13. [63] Hic autem est merito odiosissimus, quia ex primis facit
novissimos.
14. [64] Thesaurus autem indulgentiarum merito est gratissimus,
quia ex novissimis facit primos.
15. [65] Igitur thesauri Euangelici rhetia sunt, quibus olim
piscabantur viros divitiarum.
16. [66] Thesauri indulgentiarum rhetia sunt, quibus nunc
piscantur divitias virorum.
17. [67] Indulgentie, quas concionatores vociferantur maximas
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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: At length the man of the house came to the door; he had on his
breeches or drawers, and a yellow flannel waistcoat, no stockings, a
pair of slipped-shoes, a white cap on his head, and, as the young man
said, 'death in his face'.
When he opened the door, says he, 'What do you disturb me thus for?'
The boy, though a little surprised, replied, 'I come from such a
one, and my master sent me for the money which he says you know
of.' 'Very well, child,' returns the living ghost; 'call as you go by at
Cripplegate Church, and bid them ring the bell'; and with these words
shut the door again, and went up again, and died the same day; nay,
perhaps the same hour. This the young man told me himself, and I
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 Pericles by William Shakespeare: She sings like one immortal, and she dances
As goddess-like to her admired lays;
Deep clerks she dumbs; and with her neeld composes
Nature's own shape, of bud, bird, branch, or berry,
That even her art sistrs the natural roses;
Her inkle, silk, twin with the rubied cherry:
That pupils lacks she none of noble race,
Who pour their bounty on her; and her gain
She gives the cursed bawd. Here we her place;
And to her father turn our thoughts again,
Where we left him, on the sea. We there him lost;
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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 O Pioneers! by Willa Cather: it used to be. You are all I have in the world,
you know."
Carl pressed her hand in silence. They were
passing the Shabatas' empty house now, but
they avoided the orchard path and took one
that led over by the pasture pond.
"Can you understand it, Carl?" Alexandra
murmured. "I have had nobody but Ivar and
Signa to talk to. Do talk to me. Can you un-
O Pioneers! |
