| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Historical Lecturers and Essays by Charles Kingsley: be said: That even if she, and not Murray, had bestowed on him the
temporalities of Crossraguel Abbey four years before, it was merely
fair pay for services fairly rendered; and I am not aware that
payment, or even favours, however gracious, bind any man's soul and
conscience in questions of highest morality and highest public
importance. And the importance of that question cannot be
exaggerated. At a moment when Scotland seemed struggling in death-
throes of anarchy, civil and religious, and was in danger of
becoming a prey either to England or to France, if there could not
be formed out of the heart of her a people, steadfast, trusty,
united, strong politically because strong in the fear of God and 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 Arrow of Gold by Joseph Conrad: ensconced in the Prado Villa know of the sudden ending of my
activities. It would be grave enough news for him, and I did not
like to be its bearer for reasons which were mainly personal. I
resembled Dominic in so far that I, too, disliked failure.
The Marquis of Villarel had of course gone long before. The man
who was there was another type of Carlist altogether, and his
temperament was that of a trader. He was the chief purveyor of the
Legitimist armies, an honest broker of stores, and enjoyed a great
reputation for cleverness. His important task kept him, of course,
in France, but his young wife, whose beauty and devotion to her
King were well known, represented him worthily at Headquarters,
The Arrow of Gold |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Confessio Amantis by John Gower: Thi conseil scholde noght be badde."
The king therof merveille hadde,
Whan that a fol so wisly spak,
And of himself fond out the lack 4000
Withinne his oghne conscience:
And thus the foles evidence,
Which was of goddes grace enspired,
Makth that good conseil was desired.
He putte awey the vicious
And tok to him the vertuous;
The wrongful lawes ben amended,
Confessio Amantis |
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 Rewards and Fairies by Rudyard Kipling: couldn't laugh at him.
'"I'm sorry," I says, when he wiped his forehead. "As soon as
Red Jacket gives permission -"
'"You don't believe me, then?" he cuts in.
'"Not one little, little word, Abbe," I says; "except that you
mean to be on the winning side. Remember, I've been fiddling to
all your old friends for months."
'Well, then his temper fled him and he called me names.
'"Wait a minute, ci-devant," I says at last. "I am half English
and half French, but I am not the half of a man. I will tell thee
something the Indian told me. Has thee seen the President?"
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