| 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: with the sword of obedience. Of their own free choice they
consider themselves as slaves bought at a price, and no longer
live for themselves, but for him, to whom, for Christ his sake,
they have become obedient; or rather, to speak more properly,
they live no more for themselves, but Christ liveth in them, whom
to follow, they renounce all. This is retirement, a voluntary
hatred of the world, and denial of nature by desire of things
above nature. These men therefore live the lives of Angels on
earth, chanting psalms and hymns with one consent unto the Lord,
and purchasing for themselves the title of Confessors by labours
of obedience. And in them is fulfilled the word of the Lord,
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson: take that for said! The question is now of myself: am I to stand or
fall? and I do not deny to you that I am in some danger. But will Mr.
David Balfour consider why? It is not because I pushed the case unduly
against James; for that, I am sure of condonation. And it is not
because I have sequestered Mr. David on a rock, though it will pass
under that colour; but because I did not take the ready and plain path,
to which I was pressed repeatedly, and send Mr. David to his grave or
to the gallows. Hence the scandal - hence this damned memorial,"
striking the paper on his leg. "My tenderness for you has brought me
in this difficulty. I wish to know if your tenderness to your own
conscience is too great to let you help me out of it."
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