| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Profits of Religion by Upton Sinclair: among the rich!
The explanation satisfied me; for of course I thought there had
to be cathedrals--despite the fact that both St. Stephen and St.
Paul had declared that "the Lord dwelleth not in temples made
with hands." In the twenty-five years which have passed since
that time the good Bishop has passed to his eternal reward, but
the mighty structure which is a monument to his visitations among
the rich towers over the city from its vantage-point on
Morningside Heights. It is called the Cathedral of St. John the
Divine; and knowing what I know about the men who contributed its
funds, and about the general functions of the churches of the
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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 Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by H. P. Lovecraft: with the grey impassable peaks always rising gaunt and sinister
on his right. The third night he spent in a camp of quarry men
whose flickering fires cast weird reflections on the polished
cliffs to the west. And they sang many songs and told many tales,
shewing such strange knowledge of the olden days and the habits
of gods that Carter could see they held many latent memories of
their sires the Great Ones. They asked him whither he went, and
cautioned him not to go too far to the north; but he replied that
he was seeking new cliffs of onyx, and would take no more risks
than were common among prospectors. In the morning he bade them
adieu and rode on into the darkening north, where they had warned
The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: And Ripple, safe again beneath her snow flake, gladly gave
the chain to them; and told them how the pearls they now placed
proudly on their breasts were formed of tears, which but for them
might still be flowing. Then the Spirits smiled most kindly on her,
and would have put their arms about her, and have kissed her cheek,
but she drew back, telling them that every touch of theirs was
like a wound to her.
"Then, if we may not tell our pleasure so, we will show it in a
different way, and give you a pleasant journey home. Come out with
us," the Spirits said, "and see the bright path we have made for you."
So they led her to the lofty gate, and here, from sky to earth,
Flower Fables |
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 White Moll by Frank L. Packard: into a chair beside the table. "He says you've got it doped out
to pull something that will let me out of this Gypsy Nan stunt.
Another bubble, I suppose!" She shrugged her shoulders, glanced
around her, and, locating a chair - not too near the table - seated
herself indifferently. "I'm getting sick of bubbles!" she announced
insolently. "What's this one?"
He stood there for a moment biting at his lips, hesitant between
anger and tolerant amusement; and then, the latter evidently gaining
the ascendency, he too shrugged his shoulders, and with a laugh
returned to his chair.
"You're a rare one, Bertha!" he said coolly. "I thought you'd be
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