| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Twice Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne: flickering brilliancy of a lamp which has but a little while to
burn. Eleven strokes, full half an hour ago, had pealed from the
clock of the Old South, when a rumor was circulated among the
company that some new spectacle or pageant was about to be
exhibited, which should put a fitting close to the splendid
festivities of the night.
"What new jest has your Excellency in hand?" asked the Rev.
Mather Byles, whose Presbyterian scruples had not kept him from
the entertainment. "Trust me, sir, I have already laughed more
than beseems my cloth at your Homeric confabulation with yonder
ragamuffin General of the rebels. One other such fit of
Twice Told Tales |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Augsburg Confession by Philip Melanchthon: marriage was taken away from priests, but that there were far
weightier ones why it ought to be given back; for so Platina
writes. Since, therefore, our priests were desirous to avoid
these open scandals, they married wives, and taught that it
was lawful for them to contract matrimony. First, because Paul
says, 1 Cor. 7, 2. 9: To avoid fornication, let every man have
his own wife. Also: It is better to marry than to burn.
Secondly Christ says, Matt. 19,11: All men cannot receive this
saying, where He teaches that not all men are fit to lead a
single life; for God created man for procreation, Gen. 1, 28.
Nor is it in man's power, without a singular gift and work of
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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 Enoch Arden, &c. by Alfred Tennyson: And merrily ran the years, seven happy years,
Seven happy years of health and competence,
And mutual love and honorable toil;
With children; first a daughter. In him woke,
With his first babe's first cry, the noble wish
To save all earnings to the uttermost,
And give his child a better bringing-up
Than his had been, or hers; a wish renew'd,
When two years after came a boy to be
The rosy idol of her solitudes,
While Enoch was abroad on wrathful seas,
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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 Oscar Wilde Miscellaneous by Oscar Wilde: Once a Thracian who was my lover was caught in the net. I gave the
signal for him to die and the whole theatre applauded. Sometimes I
pass through the gymnasium and watch the young men wrestling or in
the race. Their bodies are bright with oil and their brows are
wreathed with willow sprays and with myrtle. They stamp their feet
on the sand when they wrestle and when they run the sand follows
them like a little cloud. He at whom I smile leaves his companions
and follows me to my home. At other times I go down to the harbour
and watch the merchants unloading their vessels. Those that come
from Tyre have cloaks of silk and earrings of emerald. Those that
come from Massilia have cloaks of fine wool and earrings of brass.
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