| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Talisman by Walter Scott: spread his mantle over him."
King Richard listened to the Prelate's reasoning with a downcast
brow and a troubled look.
"I cannot tell," he said, "How, it is with me, but methinks these
cold counsels of the Princes of Christendom have infected me too
with a lethargy of spirit. The time hath been that, had a layman
proposed such alliance to me, I had struck him to earth--if a
churchman, I had spit at him as a renegade and priest of Baal;
yet now this counsel sounds not so strange in mine ear. For why
should I not seek for brotherhood and alliance with a Saracen,
brave, just, generous--who loves and honours a worthy foe, as if
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Bickerstaff-Partridge Papers by Jonathan Swift: succeeded by a cardinal of the imperial faction, but native of
Tuscany, who is now about sixty-one years old.
The French army acts now wholly on the defensive, strongly
fortify'd in their trenches; and the young French King sends
overtures for a treaty of peace by the Duke of Mantua; which,
because it is a matter of state that concerns us here at home, I
shall speak no farther of it.
I shall add but one prediction more, and that in mystical terms,
which shall be included in a verse out of Virgil,
Alter erit jam Tethys, & altera quae vehat Argo.
Delectos heroas.
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Common Sense by Thomas Paine: that in conjunction they might bid defiance to the world. But this
is mere presumption; the fate of war is uncertain, neither do
the expressions mean any thing; for this continent would never suffer
itself to be drained of inhabitants, to support the British arms
in either Asia, Africa, or Europe.
Besides what have we to do with setting the world at defiance?
Our plan is commerce, and that, well attended to, will secure us
the peace and friendship of all Europe; because, it is the
interest of all Europe to have America a FREE PORT. Her trade
will always be a protection, and her barrenness of gold and silver
secure her from invaders.
Common Sense |
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 Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz by L. Frank Baum: He placed one upon the floor, so that it could run around, and pulled
apart the other, making three piglets in all; and then one of these
was pulled apart, making four piglets. The Wizard continued this
surprising performance until nine tiny piglets were running about at
his feet, all squealing and grunting in a very comical way.
"Now," said the Wizard of Oz, "having created something from nothing,
I will make something nothing again."
With this he caught up two of the piglets and pushed them together,
so that the two were one. Then he caught up another piglet and
pushed it into the first, where it disappeared. And so, one by one,
the nine tiny piglets were pushed together until but a single one of
Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz |
