| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Smalcald Articles by Dr. Martin Luther: article, they must be absolutely abolished. For it is of them
that Christ says, Matt. 24, 5. 23 ff.: I am Christ, etc. For
he who makes a vow to live as a monk believes that he will
enter upon a mode of life holier than ordinary Christians
lead, and wishes to earn heaven by his own works not only for
himself, but also for others; this is to deny Christ. And they
boast from their St. Thomas that a monastic vow is equal to
Baptism. This is blasphemy [against God].
XV. Of Human Traditions.
The declaration of the Papists that human traditions serve for
the remission of sins, or merit salvation, is [altogether]
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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 Deserted Woman by Honore de Balzac: attempting to justify, his unusual conduct. He flattered Mme. de
Beauseant by showing that she had realized for him the ideal lady of a
young man's dream, the ideal sought by so many, and so often sought in
vain. Then he touched upon his morning prowlings under the walls of
Courcelles, and his wild thoughts at the first sight of the house,
till he excited that vague feeling of indulgence which a woman can
find in her heart for the follies committed for her sake.
An impassioned voice was speaking in the chill solitude; the speaker
brought with him a warm breath of youth and the charms of a carefully
cultivated mind. It was so long since Mme. de Beauseant had felt
stirred by real feeling delicately expressed, that it affected her
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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 Beast in the Jungle by Henry James: as an answer to his long riddle the mere effacement of even so fine
a feature of his situation would be an abject anticlimax. It would
represent, as connected with his past attitude, a drop of dignity
under the shadow of which his existence could only become the most
grotesques of failures. He had been far from holding it a failure-
-long as he had waited for the appearance that was to make it a
success. He had waited for quite another thing, not for such a
thing as that. The breath of his good faith came short, however,
as he recognised how long he had waited, or how long at least his
companion had. That she, at all events, might be recorded as
having waited in vain--this affected him sharply, and all the more
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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 A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: The fair FILLE DE CHAMBRE came close up to the bureau where I was
looking for a card - took up first the pen I cast down, then
offer'd to hold me the ink; she offer'd it so sweetly, I was going
to accept it; - but I durst not; - I have nothing, my dear, said I,
to write upon. - Write it, said she, simply, upon anything. -
I was just going to cry out, Then I will write it, fair girl! upon
thy lips. -
If I do, said I, I shall perish; - so I took her by the hand, and
led her to the door, and begg'd she would not forget the lesson I
had given her. - She said, indeed she would not; - and, as she
uttered it with some earnestness, she turn'd about, and gave me
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