| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Damnation of Theron Ware by Harold Frederic: of this church which might be appropriately discussed there."
"Oh, come, Brother Ware!" broke in Trustee Winch, with a
somewhat agitated assumption of good-feeling. "Surely
these are matters we ought to settle amongst ourselves.
We never yet asked outsiders to meddle with our business here.
It's our motto, Brother Ware. I say, if you've got a motto,
stand by it."
"Well, my motto," said Theron, "is to be behaved decently
to by those with whom I have to deal; and I also propose
to stand by it."
Brother Pierce rose gingerly to his feet, with the
The Damnation of Theron Ware |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Maid Marian by Thomas Love Peacock: He opened the letter, which was addressed to father Michael;
and found it to contain an intimation that William Gamwell was to be
hanged on Monday at Nottingham.
"And I wish," said the abbot, "father Michael were to be hanged with him:
an ungrateful monster, after I had rescued him from the fangs of
civil justice, to reward my lenity by not leaving a bone unbruised
among the holy brotherhood of Rubygill."
Robin Hood extracted from his venison pasty a similar intimation
of the evil destiny of his cousin, whom he determined, if possible,
to rescue from the jaws of Cerberus.
The sheriff of Nottingham, though still sore with his bruises,
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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 Walden by Henry David Thoreau: each, directly by their allegiance, and so indirectly, at least, by
their money, furnished a substitute. The soldier is applauded who
refuses to serve in an unjust war by those who do not refuse to
sustain the unjust government which makes the war; is applauded by
those whose own act and authority he disregards and sets at naught;
as if the state were penitent to that degree that it hired one to
scourge it while it sinned, but not to that degree that it left off
sinning for a moment. Thus, under the name of Order and Civil
Government, we are all made at last to pay homage to and support our
own meanness. After the first blush of sin comes its indifference;
and from immoral it becomes, as it were, unmoral, and not quite
Walden |
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 Aeroplanes and Dirigibles of War by Frederick A. Talbot: unsuited to military service, have not yet perfected their
organisation for making good this wastage, although latterly it
has been apprecably reduced by greater care among the aviators in
handling their vessels.
The fast vessels of the French aerial fleet have proved
exceptionally valuable. With these craft speeds of 95 and 100
miles or more per hour have been attained under favourable
conditions, and pace has proved distinctly advantageous, inasmuch
as it gives the French aviators a superiority of about 40 per
cent over the average German machine. It was the activity and
daring of the French fliers upon these high speed machines which
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