| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Sylvie and Bruno by Lewis Carroll: "I didn't guess it, till it was Sylvie," I said. "But how did
You manage the nursemaid? "
"Bruno managed it," said Sylvie. "It's called a Phlizz."
"And how do you make a Phlizz, Bruno?"
"The Professor teached me how," said Bruno.
"First oo takes a lot of air--"
"Oh, Bruno!" Sylvie interposed. "The Professor said you weren't to tell!"
But who did her voice?" I asked.
"Indeed it's troubling you too much, Sir! She can walk very well on
the flat."
Bruno laughed merrily as I turned hastily from side to side, looking in
Sylvie and Bruno |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Men of Iron by Howard Pyle: stupidly how it trembled in his hand.
"Ye wenches," said he at last, in a hard, harsh voice--"ye
wenches, what meaneth this? Would ye deceive me so, and hold
parlance thus secretly with this fellow? I will settle with him
anon. Meantime get ye straightway to the house and to your rooms,
and there abide until I give ye leave to come forth again. Go, I
say!"
"Father," said Lady Anne, in a breathless voice --she was as
white as death, and moistened her lips with her tongue before she
spoke--"father, thou wilt not do harm to this young man. Spare
him, I do beseech thee, for truly it was I who bade him come
Men of Iron |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad: I had been so worried and restless running up and down that I
had not had the patience to dress that day. I had remained
in my sleeping suit, with straw slippers and a soft floppy hat.
The closeness of the heat in the gulf had been most oppressive,
and the crew were used to seeing me wandering in that airy attire.
"She will clear the south point as she heads now," I whispered into his ear.
"Goodness only knows when, though, but certainly after dark.
I'll edge her in to half a mile, as far as I may be able to judge
in the dark--"
"Be careful," he murmured, warningly--and I realized suddenly
that all my future, the only future for which I was fit,
The Secret Sharer |
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 treatise on Good Works by Dr. Martin Luther: shalt find a piece of money; take that and give it for me and
thee."
Here we see that all works and things are free to a Christian
through his faith; and yet, because the others do not yet
believe, he observes and bears with them what he is not obligated
to do. But this he does freely, for he is certain that this is
pleasing to God, and he does it willingly, accepts it as any
other free work which comes to his hand without his choice,
because he desires and seeks no more than that he may in his
faith do works to please God.
But since in this discourse we have undertaken to teach what
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