| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Fables by Robert Louis Stevenson: the world."
"Oh, surely not," said the traveller.
"Well, perhaps not the largest," said the citizen, "but much the
best."
"You are certainly wrong there," said the traveller. "I can tell
you . . ."
They buried the stranger at the dusk.
XIII. - THE DISTINGUISHED STRANGER.
ONCE upon a time there came to this earth a visitor from a
neighbouring planet. And he was met at the place of his descent by
a great philosopher, who was to show him everything.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Silas Marner by George Eliot: Silas was impressed with the melancholy truth of this last remark;
but his force of mind failed before the only two penal methods open
to him, not only because it was painful to him to hurt Eppie, but
because he trembled at a moment's contention with her, lest she
should love him the less for it. Let even an affectionate Goliath
get himself tied to a small tender thing, dreading to hurt it by
pulling, and dreading still more to snap the cord, and which of the
two, pray, will be master? It was clear that Eppie, with her short
toddling steps, must lead father Silas a pretty dance on any fine
morning when circumstances favoured mischief.
For example. He had wisely chosen a broad strip of linen as a means
Silas Marner |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Concerning Christian Liberty by Martin Luther: Christian one. Thus Christ, when the Jews asked Him what they
should do that they might work the works of God, rejected the
multitude of works, with which He saw that they were puffed up,
and commanded them one thing only, saying, "This is the work of
God: that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent, for Him hath God
the Father sealed" (John vi. 27, 29).
Hence a right faith in Christ is an incomparable treasure,
carrying with it universal salvation and preserving from all
evil, as it is said, "He that believeth and is baptised shall be
saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark xvi. 16).
Isaiah, looking to this treasure, predicted, "The consumption
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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 Commission in Lunacy by Honore de Balzac: monomania; and that he has taught them, against all the rules of
education, the facts of Chinese history, which contradict the tenets
of the Catholic Church. He also has them taught the Chinese
dialects.' "
"Here Desroches strikes me as funny," said Bianchon.
"The petition is drawn up by his head-clerk Godeschal, who, as you
know, is not strong in Chinese," said the lawyer.
" 'That he often leaves his children destitute of the most necessary
things; that the petitioner, notwithstanding her entreaties, can never
see them; that the said Marquis d'Espard brings them to her only once
a year; that, knowing the privations to which they are exposed, she
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