| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: traitors and cut-throats to all fortified towns. Hence it is
plain, that a soldier is a profession peculiarly favoured by
Heaven, seeing that we may hope for salvation, although we daily
commit actions of so great violence. But then, Ranald, in all
services of Europe, it is the custom of the dying soldier not to
vaunt him of such doings, or to recommend them to his fellows;
but, on the contrary, to express contrition for the same, and to
repeat, or have repeated to him, some comfortable prayer; which,
if you please, I will intercede with his Excellency's chaplain to
prefer on your account. It is otherwise no point of my duty to
put you in mind of those things; only it may be for the ease of
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: he comes to my bed.
I resisted a little, but I must confess I should not have resisted
him much if he had not made those promises at all; so after a
little struggle, as I said, I lay still and let him come to bed.
When he was there he took me in his arms, and so I lay all
night with him, but he had no more to do with me, or offered
anything to me, other than embracing me, as I say, in his arms,
no, not the whole night, but rose up and dressed him in the
morning, and left me as innocent for him as I was the day I
was born.
This was a surprising thing to me, and perhaps may be so to
Moll Flanders |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Pool of Blood in the Pastor's Study by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: gravely. "He will not be shot - that is a death for a brave
soldier - but this man has deserved - " He did not finish the
sentence, for the warder sank to the floor unconscious.
"What a coward!" murmured the detective scornfully, looking down at
the giant frame that lay prostrate before him. Even in his wide
experience he had known of no case of a man of such strength and
such bestial cruelty, combined with such utter cowardice.
Varna also stood looking down at the unconscious warder. Then he
glanced up with a cunning smile at the other two men who stood
there. The doctor, pale and trembling with horror, covered his
face with his hands. Muller turned to the door to call in the
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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 Shakespeare's Sonnets by William Shakespeare: XLVIII
How careful was I when I took my way,
Each trifle under truest bars to thrust,
That to my use it might unused stay
From hands of falsehood, in sure wards of trust!
But thou, to whom my jewels trifles are,
Most worthy comfort, now my greatest grief,
Thou best of dearest, and mine only care,
Art left the prey of every vulgar thief.
Thee have I not lock'd up in any chest,
Save where thou art not, though I feel thou art,
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