| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: face of a friend he had once given up - he look'd attentively along
it, beginning at the hilt, as if to see whether it was the same, -
when, observing a little rust which it had contracted near the
point, he brought it near his eye, and bending his head down over
it, - I think - I saw a tear fall upon the place. I could not be
deceived by what followed.
"I shall find," said he, "some OTHER WAY to get it off."
When the Marquis had said this, he returned his sword into its
scabbard, made a bow to the guardians of it, - and, with his wife
and daughter, and his two sons following him, walk'd out.
O, how I envied him his feelings!
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from First Inaugural Address by Abraham Lincoln: and have, with equal wisdom, provided for the return of that little
to their own hands at very short intervals. While the people retain
their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of
wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government
in the short space of four years.
My countrymen, one and all, think calmly and WELL upon this
whole subject. Nothing valuable can be lost by taking time.
If there be an object to HURRY any of you in hot haste to a step
which you would never take DELIBERATELY, that object will be
frustrated by taking time; but no good object can be frustrated
by it. Such of you as are now dissatisfied, still have the
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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 The Koran: Arabs, asking for news of you! and if they were amongst you they would
fight but little.
Ye had in the Apostle of God a good example' for him who hopes for
God and the last day, and who remembers God much.
And when the believers saw the confederates they said, 'This is what
God and His Apostle promised us; God and His Apostle are true!' and it
only increased them in faith and resignation.
Amongst the believers are men who have been true to their covenant
with God, and there are some who have fulfilled their vow, and some
who wait and have not changed with fickleness.
That God might reward the truthful for their truth, and punish the
The Koran |
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 Forged Coupon by Leo Tolstoy: from all up my poor mutilated trunk--here I
am, such as they have made me, and I do not be-
lieve either in your hopes or in your illusions.'"
And after thus exercising his imagination, Prince
Andre still casts backward glances as he passes by,
"but the oak maintained its obstinate and sullen
immovability in the midst of the flowers and grass
growing at its feet. 'Yes, that oak is right, right
a thousand times over. One must leave illusions
to youth. But the rest of us know what life is
worth; it has nothing left to offer us.'"
The Forged Coupon |
