| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Lesson of the Master by Henry James: Above all she was natural - that was indubitable now; more natural
than he had supposed at first, perhaps on account of her aesthetic
toggery, which was conventionally unconventional, suggesting what
he might have called a tortuous spontaneity. He had feared that
sort of thing in other cases, and his fears had been justified;
for, though he was an artist to the essence, the modern reactionary
nymph, with the brambles of the woodland caught in her folds and a
look as if the satyrs had toyed with her hair, made him shrink not
as a man of starch and patent leather, but as a man potentially
himself a poet or even a faun. The girl was really more candid
than her costume, and the best proof of it was her supposing her
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Sophist by Plato: STRANGER: And now, following this pattern, let us endeavour to find out
what a Sophist is.
THEAETETUS: By all means.
STRANGER: The first question about the angler was, whether he was a
skilled artist or unskilled?
THEAETETUS: True.
STRANGER: And shall we call our new friend unskilled, or a thorough master
of his craft?
THEAETETUS: Certainly not unskilled, for his name, as, indeed, you imply,
must surely express his nature.
STRANGER: Then he must be supposed to have some art.
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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 A treatise on Good Works by Dr. Martin Luther: Nay, where it is possible, it returns good for evil, speaks well
of them, thinks well of them, prays for them. Of this Christ
says, Matthew v: "Do good to them that despitefully use you. Pray
for them that persecute you and revile you." And Paul, Romans
xii: "Bless them which curse you, and by no means curse them, but
do good to them."
II. Behold how this precious, excellent work has been lost among
Christians, so that nothing now everywhere prevails except
strife, war, quarreling, anger, hatred, envy, back-biting,
cursing, slandering, injuring, vengeance, and all manner of angry
works and words; and yet, with all this, we have our many
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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 Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey: front of him out into the court.
Duane had suddenly conceived the idea of taking Snecker before
Mayor Longstreth in the court.
When Duane arrived at the hall where court was held there were
other men there, a dozen or more, and all seemed excited;
evidently, news of Duane had preceded him. Longstreth sat at a
table up on a platform. Near him sat a thick-set grizzled man,
with deep eyes, and this was Hanford Owens, county judge. To
the right stood a tall, angular, yellow-faced fellow with a
drooping sandy mustache. Conspicuous on his vest was a huge
silver shield. This was Gorsech, one of Longstreth's sheriffs.
The Lone Star Ranger |
