| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Golden Threshold by Sarojini Naidu: Be lowered to the wind's caress,
The honeyed hyacinths complain,
And languish in a sweet distress.
And, when I pause, still groves among,
(Such loveliness is mine) a throng
Of nightingales awake and strain
Their souls into a quivering song.
INDIAN DANCERS
Eyes ravished with rapture, celestially panting,
what passionate bosoms aflaming with
fire
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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 Koran: the portion of their fellows, but let them not hurry me!
Then woe to those who misbelieve from their day which they are
threatened.
THE CHAPTER OF THE MOUNT
(LII. Mecca.)
IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
By the mount! by the Book inscribed upon an outstretched vellum!
by the frequented house! by the elevated roof! by the swelling sea!
verily, the torment of thy Lord will come to pass;-there is none to
avert it!
The day when the heavens shall reel about, and the mountains shall
The Koran |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Voice of the City by O. Henry: a bottle of milk, and fought his way like a demon into
the mass of spectators. Already in the inner line
stood Violet Seymour with one sleeve and two gold fill-
ings gone, a corset steel puncture and a sprained
wrist, but happy. She was looking at what there
was to see. A man was painting upon the fence:
"Eat Bricklets - They Fill Your Face."
Violet blushed when she saw William Pry. William
jabbed a lady in a black silk raglan in the ribs, kicked
a boy in the shin, bit an old gentleman on the left ear
and managed to crowd nearer to Violet. They stood
The Voice of the City |
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 Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: the Lord Jesus Christ. Besides this, on your part, your own distress
which is about your neck, and because of which this command, invitation
and promise are given, ought to impel you. For He Himself says: They
that be whole need not a physician, but they that be sick; that is,
those who are weary and heavy-laden with their sins, with the fear of
death temptations of the flesh and of the devil. If therefore, you are
heavy-laden and feel your weakness, then go joyfully to this Sacrament
and obtain refreshment, consolation, and strength. For if you would
wait until you are rid of such burdens, that you might come to the
Sacrament pure and worthy, you must forever stay away. For in that case
He pronounces sentence and says: If you are pure and godly, you have no
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