| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Baby Mine by Margaret Mayo: "What shall I do?" cried Zoie.
"Lie down," commanded Aggie, and Zoie had barely time to fall
back limply on the pillows when the excited young husband burst
into the room.
CHAPTER XVI
When Alfred entered Zoie's bedroom he glanced about him in
bewilderment. It appeared that he was in an enchanted chamber.
Through the dim rose light he could barely perceive his young
wife. She was lying white and apparently lifeless on her
pillows. He moved cautiously toward the bed, but Aggie raised a
warning finger. Afraid to speak, he grasped Aggie's hand and
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Rape of Lucrece by William Shakespeare: The loathsome act of lust, and so did kill
The lechers in their deed: this act will be
My fame and thy perpetual infamy.
'With this, I did begin to start and cry,
And then against my heart he sets his sword,
Swearing, unless I took all patiently,
I should not live to speak another word;
So should my shame still rest upon record,
And never be forgot in mighty Rome
The adulterate death of Lucrece and her groom.
'Mine enemy was strong, my poor self weak,
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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 The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin: I have since had doubts of the practicability of the latter part
of this proposal, on account of the narrowness of some streets,
and the difficulty of placing the draining-sleds so as not to encumber
too much the passage; but I am still of opinion that the former,
requiring the dust to be swept up and carry'd away before the shops
are open, is very practicable in the summer, when the days are long;
for, in walking thro' the Strand and Fleet-street one morning at
seven o'clock, I observ'd there was not one shop open, tho' it had
been daylight and the sun up above three hours; the inhabitants
of London chusing voluntarily to live much by candle-light,
and sleep by sunshine, and yet often complain, a little absurdly,
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin |
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 Menexenus by Plato: enough, and will not need any one to stir them up. While we gently heal
their wounds, let us remind them that the Gods have heard the chief part of
their prayers; for they prayed, not that their children might live for
ever, but that they might be brave and renowned. And this, which is the
greatest good, they have attained. A mortal man cannot expect to have
everything in his own life turning out according to his will; and they, if
they bear their misfortunes bravely, will be truly deemed brave fathers of
the brave. But if they give way to their sorrows, either they will be
suspected of not being our parents, or we of not being such as our
panegyrists declare. Let not either of the two alternatives happen, but
rather let them be our chief and true panegyrists, who show in their lives
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