| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Alexandria and her Schools by Charles Kingsley: dates from the records of all the ages, but by trying to discover its
organic laws, and the causes which produce in nations, creeds, and
systems, health and disease, growth, change, decay and death. If, in
one small corner of this vast field, I shall have thrown a single ray of
light upon these subjects--if I shall have done anything in these pages
towards illustrating the pathology of a single people, I shall believe
that I have done better service to the Catholic Faith and the
Scriptures, than if I did really "know the times and the seasons, which
the Father has kept in His own hand." For by the former act I may have
helped to make some one man more prudent and brave to see and to do what
God requires of him; by the latter I could only add to that paralysis of
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tour Through Eastern Counties of England by Daniel Defoe: state of defence: and that in a little time, a sufficient number of
workmen being employed, especially because they are able to fill
all their ditches with water from the sea, in such a manner as that
it cannot be drawn off.
There is in the market-place of this town a very fine statue of
King William on horseback, erected at the charge of the town. The
Ouse is mighty large and deep, close to the very town itself, and
ships of good burthen may come up to the quay; but there is no
bridge, the stream being too strong and the bottom moorish and
unsound; nor, for the same reason, is the anchorage computed the
best in the world; but there are good roads farther down.
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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 Ann Veronica by H. G. Wells: I wasn't. You came out like an ant for your nuptial flight. It
was just a chance that we in particular hit against each
other--nothing predestined about it. We just hit against each
other, and here we are flying off at a tangent, a little
surprised at what we are doing, all our principles abandoned, and
tremendously and quite unreasonably proud of ourselves. Out of
all this we have struck a sort of harmony. . . . And it's
gorgeous!"
"Glorious!" said Ann Veronica.
"Would YOU like us--if some one told you the bare outline of our
story?--and what we are doing?"
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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 The Redheaded Outfield by Zane Grey: effort, threw for the plate.
Burt's lithe shoulders swung powerfully. The
meeting of ball and bat fairly cracked. The low
driving hit lined over second a rising glittering
streak, and went far beyond the center fielder.
Bleachers and stands uttered one short cry,
almost a groan, and then stared at the speeding
runners. For an instant, approaching doom could
not have been more dreaded. Magoon scored.
Cless was rounding second when the ball lit. If
Burt was running swiftly when he turned first he
The Redheaded Outfield |
