| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Sanitary and Social Lectures by Charles Kingsley: your ancestors entered our armies, and rose, some of them, to be
great generals, and even emperors, like those two Teuton peasants,
Justin and Justinian, who, long after my days, reigned in my own
Constantinople: then, at least, you saw baths, and used them; and
felt, after the bath, that you were civilised men, and not
'sordidi ac foetentes,' as we used to call you when fresh out of
your bullock-waggons and cattle-pens. How is it that you have
forgotten that lesson?"
The minister, I fear, would have to answer that our ancestors were
barbarous enough, not only to destroy the Roman cities, and
temples, and basilicas, and statues, but the Roman baths likewise;
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Extracts From Adam's Diary by Mark Twain: Wednesday
Built me a shelter against the rain, but could not have it to
myself in peace. The new creature intruded. When I tried to put
it out it shed water out of the holes it looks with, and wiped it
away with the back of its paws, and made a noise such as some of
the other animals make when they are in distress. I wish it would
not talk; it is always talking. That sounds like a cheap fling
at the poor creature, a slur; but I do not mean it so. I have never
heard the human voice before, and any new and strange sound
intruding itself here upon the solemn hush of these dreaming
solitudes offends my ear and seems a false note. And this new
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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 Great Big Treasury of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter: a heap of very dirty rags.
When Tom Kitten picked himself up
and looked about him, he found
himself in a place that he had never
seen before, although he had lived all
his life in the house. It was a very
small stuffy fusty room, with boards,
and rafters, and cobwebs, and lath
and plaster.
Opposite to him--as far away as he
could sit--was an enormous rat.
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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 Rig Veda: Heroes, this I beg of you:
Be near me in the day, he near me in the night: help me to
gain a
car-borne chieftain rich in steeds.
6 O Asvins, ye are wise: as Kutsa comes to men, bring your
car nigh
the folk of him who sings your praise.
The bee, O Asvins, bears your honey in her mouth, as the maid
carries
it purified in her hand.
7 To Bhujyu and to Vasa ye come near with help, O Asvins, to
The Rig Veda |
