| 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: hospitable intention, the barbarians placed the head of her
brother on the table, filling the mouth with bread and cheese,
and bidding him eat, for many a merry meal he had eaten in that
house.
The poor woman returning, and beholding this dreadful sight,
shrieked aloud, and fled into the woods, where, as described in
the romance, she roamed a raving maniac, and for some time
secreted herself from all living society. Some remaining
instinctive feeling brought her at length to steal a glance from
a distance at the maidens while they milked the cows, which being
observed, her husband, Ardvoirlich, had her conveyed back to her
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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 Memorabilia by Xenophon: it, on those who rule, you must surely see that the stronger have an
art to seat the weaker on the stool of repentance[17] both in public
and in private, and to treat them as slaves. I daresay you have not
failed to note this common case: a set of people has sown and planted,
whereupon in comes another set and cuts their corn and fells their
fruit-trees, and in every way lays siege to them because, though
weaker, they refuse to pay them proper court, till at length they are
persuaded to accept slavery rather than war against their betters. And
in private life also, you will bear me out, the brave and powerful are
known to reduce the helpless and cowardly to bondage, and to make no
small profit out of their victims.
The Memorabilia |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Tono Bungay by H. G. Wells: There's such a lot of imagination in these things.... We're
sound enough. That's not it."
He blew. "Damn Boom!" he said, and his eyes over his glasses met
mine defiantly.
"We can't, I suppose, run close hauled for a bitstop
expenditure?"
"Where?"
"Well,--Crest Hill"
"What!" he shouted. "Me stop Crest Hill for Boom!" He waved a
fist as if to hit his inkpot, and controlled himself with
difficulty. He spoke at last in a reasonable voice. "If I did,"
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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 Vailima Prayers & Sabbath Morn by Robert Louis Stevenson: purposes of good, with our idle endeavours against evil, suffer us
awhile longer to endure, and (if it may be) help us to do better.
Bless to us our extraordinary mercies; if the day come when these
must be taken, brace us to play the man under affliction. Be with
our friends, be with ourselves. Go with each of us to rest; if any
awake, temper to them the dark hours of watching; and when the day
returns, return to us, our sun and comforter, and call us up with
morning faces and with morning hearts - eager to labour - eager to
be happy, if happiness shall be our portion - and if the day be
marked for sorrow, strong to endure it.
We thank Thee and praise Thee; and in the words of him to whom this
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