| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from United States Declaration of Independence: parchment "facsimiles" I used back in 1971, and which I should not
be able to easily find at this time, including "Brittain."
**The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Declaration of Independence**
#STARTMARK#
The Declaration of Independence of The United States of America
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for
one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected
them with another, and to assume, among the Powers of the earth,
the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and
of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions
of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which
United States Declaration of Independence |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Mad King by Edgar Rice Burroughs: the window from which had come the rescuing shot, and
as he did so he saw the boy, Rudolph, clambering over the
sill, white-faced and trembling. In his hand was a smoking
carbine, and on his brow great beads of cold sweat.
"God forgive me!" murmured the youth. "I have killed
a man."
"You have killed a dangerous wild beast, Rudolph," said
Barney, "and both God and your fellow man will thank
and reward you."
"I am glad that I killed him, though," went on the boy,
"for he would have killed you, my king, had I not done so.
The Mad King |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte: own reflections, or the contemplation of surrounding objects; or,
if I lingered behind, it was some bird or insect, some tree or
flower, that attracted my attention, and having duly examined that,
I would pursue my walk alone, at a leisurely pace, until my pupils
had bidden adieu to their companions and turned off into the quiet
private road.
One such occasion I particularly well remember; it was a lovely
afternoon about the close of March; Mr. Green and his sisters had
sent their carriage back empty, in order to enjoy the bright
sunshine and balmy air in a sociable walk home along with their
visitors, Captain Somebody and Lieutenant Somebody-else (a couple
Agnes Grey |
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 Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer: his line of communication, along which he moved his mysterious forces.
The opium den off Shadwell Highway, the mansion upstream,
at that hour a smoldering shell; now the hulk lying off the marshes.
Always he made his headquarters upon the river. It was significant;
and even if to-night's expedition should fail, this was a clew
for our future guidance.
"Bear to the right," directed Smith. "We must reconnoiter
before making our attack."
We took a path that led directly to the river bank.
Before us lay the gray expanse of water, and out upon it
moved the busy shipping of the great mercantile city.
The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu |
