| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley: only, unfortunately for her scholars, she is apt to hit so hard
with her rod, which is called Experience, that they never get over
it; and therefore most of those who will only be taught by Nature
and Law are killed, poor creatures, before they have learnt their
lesson; as many a savage tribe is destroyed, ay and great and
mighty nations too--the old Roman Empire among them.
And the poor Jews, who were carried away captive to Babylon?
Yes; they would not listen to Lady Why, and so they were taken in
hand by Madam How, and were seventy years in her terrible school-
house, learning a lesson which, to do them justice, they never
forgot again. But now we will talk of something pleasanter. We
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Silverado Squatters by Robert Louis Stevenson: gleaming arms, the bay died out among the grass; there were
few trees and few enclosures; the sun shone wide over open
uplands, the displumed hills stood clear against the sky.
But by-and-by these hills began to draw nearer on either
hand, and first thicket and then wood began to clothe their
sides; and soon we were away from all signs of the sea's
neighbourhood, mounting an inland, irrigated valley. A great
variety of oaks stood, now severally, now in a becoming
grove, among the fields and vineyards. The towns were
compact, in about equal proportions, of bright, new wooden
houses and great and growing forest trees; and the chapel
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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 Rig Veda: 2 White-hued and thundering he dwells in splendour, Most Youthful,
with the loudvoiced and eternal-
Agni, most variform, the Purifier, who follows crunching many
ample
forests.
3 Incited by the wind thy flames, O Agni, move onward, Pure
One! pure,
in all directions.
Thy most destructive heavenly Navagvas break the woods down
and
devastate them boldly.
The Rig Veda |
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 The School For Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan: mistaken in one thing; I have no money to lend, but I believe
I could procure some of a friend; but then he's an unconscionable dog.
Isn't he, Moses? And must sell stock to accommodate you. Mustn't he,
Moses!
MOSES. Yes, indeed! You know I always speak the truth, and scorn
to tell a lie!
CHARLES. Right. People that speak truth generally do. But these
are trifles, Mr. Premium. What! I know money isn't to be bought
without paying for't!
SIR OLIVER. Well, but what security could you give? You have
no land, I suppose?
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