| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Polly of the Circus by Margaret Mayo: "Yes, Deacon Strong, I'm here," answered the pastor, as he turned
to meet the accusing eyes of the deacon, who had come quickly
from behind the dressing tent.
"As for you, miss," continued Strong, with an insolent nod toward
Polly, "I might have known how you'd keep your part of the
bargain."
"Bargain?" echoed Douglas. "What bargain?"
"Oh, please, Deacon Strong, please. I didn't mean to see him, I
didn't, truly." She hardly knew what she was saying.
"What bargain?" demanded Douglas sternly.
"She told me that you and her wasn't ever goin' ter see each
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from United States Declaration of Independence: 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
impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,
that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men,
deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends,
it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute
United States Declaration of Independence |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin: offended him extreamly; for, when my mother some time after spoke
to him of a reconciliation, and of her wishes to see us on good
terms together, and that we might live for the future as brothers,
he said I had insulted him in such a manner before his people that
he could never forget or forgive it. In this, however, he was mistaken.
My father received the governor's letter with some apparent surprise,
but said little of it to me for some days, when Capt. Holmes returning
he showed it to him, ask'd him if he knew Keith, and what kind of
man he was; adding his opinion that he must be of small discretion
to think of setting a boy up in business who wanted yet three years
of being at man's estate. Holmes said what he could in favor
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin |
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 Daisy Miller by Henry James: But I said I wouldn't give any such messages as that. Only, if she
is not engaged, I'm sure I'm glad to know it."
But, as Winterbourne had said, it mattered very little.
A week after this, the poor girl died; it had been a terrible
case of the fever. Daisy's grave was in the little
Protestant cemetery, in an angle of the wall of imperial Rome,
beneath the cypresses and the thick spring flowers.
Winterbourne stood there beside it, with a number of other mourners,
a number larger than the scandal excited by the young lady's
career would have led you to expect. Near him stood Giovanelli,
who came nearer still before Winterbourne turned away.
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