| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tono Bungay by H. G. Wells: of Wimblehurst two years ago remarked no change whatever in its
pleasant tranquillity. They had not even built any fresh
houses--at least not actually in the town, though about the
station there had been some building. But it was a good place to
do work in, for all its quiescence. I was soon beyond the small
requirements of the Pharmaceutical Society's examination, and as
they do not permit candidates to sit for that until one and
twenty, I was presently filling up my time and preventing my
studies becoming too desultory by making an attack upon the
London University degree of Bachelor of Science, which impressed
me then as a very splendid but almost impossible achievement.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: mind had gone. She was mad. Even as an agonizing pity came over Joe, to be
followed by the surging fire of rage, blazing up in his breast, he could not
but thank God that she was mad! It was merciful that Kate was no longer
conscious of her suffering.
Like leaves in a storm wavered Joe's hands as he clenched them until the nails
brought blood. "Be calm, be cool," whispered his monitor, Wetzel, ever with
him in spirit. But God! Could he be cool? Bounding with lion-spring he hurled
his heavy frame against the door.
Crash! The door was burst from its fastenings.
Girty leaped up with startled yell, drawing his knife as he rose. It had not
time to descend before Joe's second spring, more fierce even than the other,
The Spirit of the Border |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Tanach: Joshua 22: 8 and spoke unto them, saying: 'Return with much wealth unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment; divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.'
Joshua 22: 9 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
Joshua 22: 10 And when they came unto the region about the Jordan, that is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, a great altar to look upon.
Joshua 22: 11 And the children of Israel heard say: 'Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar in the forefront of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that pertaineth to the children of Israel.'
Joshua 22: 12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war.
Joshua 22: 13 And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest;
The Tanach |
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 Paradise Lost by John Milton: Impetuous; and continued, till the earth
No more was seen: the floating vessel swum
Uplifted, and secure with beaked prow
Rode tilting o'er the waves; all dwellings else
Flood overwhelmed, and them with all their pomp
Deep under water rolled; sea covered sea,
Sea without shore; and in their palaces,
Where luxury late reigned, sea-monsters whelped
And stabled; of mankind, so numerous late,
All left, in one small bottom swum imbarked.
How didst thou grieve then, Adam, to behold
Paradise Lost |
