| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: through dark galleries that led far down into the earth. "What do
they here?" asked Thistle.
"I will tell," replied little Sparkle, "for I once worked here
myself. Some of them watch above the flower-roots, and keep them
fresh and strong; others gather the clear drops that trickle from the
damp rocks, and form a little spring, which, growing ever larger,
rises to the light above, and gushes forth in some green field or
lonely forest; where the wild-birds come to drink, and wood-flowers
spread their thirsty leaves above the clear, cool waves, as they go
dancing away, carrying joy and freshness wherever they go. Others
shape the bright jewels into lovely forms, and make the good-luck
Flower Fables |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Profits of Religion by Upton Sinclair: the water in their stocks made "holy"? Says our pious editor, for
the government to take property without full compensation "would
be contrary to the whole spirit of America."
The Outlook for Graft
Anyone familiar with the magazine world will understand that such
crooked work as this, continued over a long period, is not done
for nothing. Any magazine writer would know, the instant he saw
the Baxter article, that Baxter was paid by the New Haven, and
that the "Outlook" also was paid by the New Haven. Generally he
has no way of proving such facts, and has to sit in silence; but
when his board bill falls due and his landlady is persistent, he
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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 War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: to him, too, her face seemed to say: "Ah, what have you done to me,
and why?" And at the sight the old man turned angrily away.
Another five days passed, and then the young Prince Nicholas
Andreevich was baptized. The wet nurse supported the coverlet with her
while the priest with a goose feather anointed the boy's little red
and wrinkled soles and palms.
His grandfather, who was his godfather, trembling and afraid of
dropping him, carried the infant round the battered tin font and
handed him over to the godmother, Princess Mary. Prince Andrew sat
in another room, faint with fear lest the baby should be drowned in
the font, and awaited the termination of the ceremony. He looked up
War and Peace |
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 On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin: earth there was a pebble quite as large as the seed of a vetch. Thus seeds
might occasionally be transported to great distances; for many facts could
be given showing that soil almost everywhere is charged with seeds.
Reflect for a moment on the millions of quails which annually cross the
Mediterranean; and can we doubt that the earth adhering to their feet would
sometimes include a few minute seeds? But I shall presently have to recur
to this subject.
As icebergs are known to be sometimes loaded with earth and stones, and
have even carried brushwood, bones, and the nest of a land-bird, I can
hardly doubt that they must occasionally have transported seeds from one
part to another of the arctic and antarctic regions, as suggested by Lyell;
On the Origin of Species |
