| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Light of Western Stars by Zane Grey: expression of craft.
"Thet's mighty interestin', Miss Hammond, 'most as interestin' as
a story-book," he sald. "Now, since you're so obligin' a
witness, I'd sure like to put a question or two. What time did
you arrive at El Cajon thet night?"
"It was after eleven o'clock," replied Madeline.
"Nobody there to meet you?"
"No."
"The station agent an' operator both gone?"
"Yes."
"Wal, how soon did this feller Stewart show up?" Hawe continued,
The Light of Western Stars |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: glorious on account of the Word, since He Himself has honored it both
by words and deeds; moreover, confirmed it with miracles from heaven.
For do you think it was a jest that, when Christ was baptized, the
heavens were opened and the Holy Ghost descended visibly, and
everything was divine glory and majesty?
Therefore I exhort again that these two the water and the Word, by no
means be separated from one another and parted. For if the Word is
separated from it, the water is the same as that with which the servant
cooks, and may indeed be called a bath-keeper's baptism. But when it is
added, as God has ordained, it is a Sacrament, and is called
Christ-baptism. Let this be the first part regarding the essence 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 Sportsman by Xenophon: So much and even greater trouble may be loked for from the wild boar
before capture; I speak of the male animal. If it should be a sow that
falls into the toils, the huntsman should run up and prod her, taking
care not to be pushed off his legs and fall, in which case he cannot
escape being trampled on and bitten. Ergo, he will not voluntarily get
under those feet; but if involuntarily he should come to such a pass,
the same means[38] of helping each the other to get up again will
serve, as in the case of the male animal; and when he has regained his
legs, he must ply the boar-spear vigorously till she too has died the
death.
[38] {dianastaseis}, "the same methods of mutual recovery."
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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 Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson: stones with which fisherfolk ballast their boats, several kegs and
baskets, and a provision of fuel. All these were discharged upon the
crag. Andie, myself, and my three Highlanders (I call them mine,
although it was the other way about), landed along with them. The sun
was not yet up when the boat moved away again, the noise of the oars on
the thole-pins echoing from the cliffs, and left us in our singular
reclusion:
Andie Dale was the Prefect (as I would jocularly call him) of the Bass,
being at once the shepherd and the gamekeeper of that small and rich
estate. He had to mind the dozen or so of sheep that fed and fattened
on the grass of the sloping part of it, like beasts grazing the roof of
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