| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Koran: So we saved him and those with him in the laden ark, then we drowned
the rest; verily, in that is a sign, but most of them will never be
believers; and, verily, thy Lord He is mighty and merciful.
And 'Ad called the apostles liars; when their brother Hud said to
them, 'Will ye not fear? Verily, I am to you a faithful apostle;
then fear God and obey me. I do not ask you for it any hire; my hire
is only with the Lord of the worlds. Do ye build on every height a
landmark in sport, and take to works that haply ye may be immortal?
'And when ye assault ye assault like tyrants; but fear God and
obey me; and fear Him who hath given you an extent of cattle and sons,
and gardens and springs. Verily, I fear for you the torment of a
The Koran |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Vailima Letters by Robert Louis Stevenson: never destined to show to his applauding camp. Wounded
himself, he had crept here into the bush to die with his
useless trophy by his side. His date would be about fifteen
years ago, in the great battle between Laupepa and Talavou,
which took place on My Land, Sir. To-morrow we shall bury
the bones and fire a salute in honour of unfortunate courage.
Do you think I have an empty life? or that a man jogging to
his club has so much to interest and amuse him? - touch and
try him too, but that goes along with the others: no pain, no
pleasure, is the iron law. So here I stop again, and leave,
as I left yesterday, my political business untouched. And
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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 Jungle Tales of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs: grass-eaters which had left the plains almost bare of game
for several years, and again the great cats had increased
so rapidly and so overrun the country that their prey,
which was also Tarzan's, had been frightened off for a
considerable time.
But for the most part Tarzan had fed well always.
Today, though, he had gone empty, one misfortune following
another as rapidly as he raised new quarry, so that now,
as he sat perched in the tree above the feasting blacks,
he experienced all the pangs of famine and his hatred
for his lifelong enemies waxed strong in his breast.
The Jungle Tales of Tarzan |
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 Persuasion by Jane Austen: I dare say," had been Anne's reply, in all the confusion that was natural;
and if the child had not called her to come and do something for him,
she would have been out of the room the next moment, and released
Captain Wentworth as well as herself.
He continued at the window; and after calmly and politely saying,
"I hope the little boy is better," was silent.
She was obliged to kneel down by the sofa, and remain there
to satisfy her patient; and thus they continued a few minutes,
when, to her very great satisfaction, she heard some other person
crossing the little vestibule. She hoped, on turning her head,
to see the master of the house; but it proved to be one
Persuasion |
