| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson: twal,' I finally forswore the gentle craft of fishing. I dare say
your local knowledge may identify this historic river; I wish it
could go farther and identify also that particular Free kirk in
which I sat and groaned on Sunday. While my hand is in I must tell
you a story. At that antique epoch you must not fall into the
vulgar error that I was myself ancient. I was, on the contrary,
very young, very green, and (what you will appreciate, Mr. Barrie)
very shy. There came one day to lunch at the house two very
formidable old ladies - or one very formidable, and the other what
you please - answering to the honoured and historic name of the
Miss C- A-'s of Balnamoon. At table I was exceedingly funny, and
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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 The Ancient Regime by Charles Kingsley: who have carried the torch of discord into their countries." It is
worth notice, that not only are the majority of these names English,
but that they belong not to the latter but to the former half of the
eighteenth century; and indeed, to the latter half of the
seventeenth.
So it was with that Inductive Physical Science, which helped more
than all to break up the superstitions of the Ancien Regime, and to
set man face to face with the facts of the universe. From England,
towards the end of the seventeenth century, it was promulgated by
such men as Newton, Boyle, Sydenham, Ray, and the first founders of
our Royal Society.
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