| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Wife, et al by Anton Chekhov: enemies, and were wrathful, and in their wrath did not notice
that their behaviour was unseemly, and that even Korostelev, with
his close-cropped head, saw it all. After dinner Ryabovsky made
haste to say good-bye and get away.
"Where are you off to?" Olga Ivanovna would ask him in the hall,
looking at him with hatred.
Scowling and screwing up his eyes, he mentioned some lady of
their acquaintance, and it was evident that he was laughing at
her jealousy and wanted to annoy her. She went to her bedroom and
lay down on her bed; from jealousy, anger, a sense of humiliation
and shame, she bit the pillow and began sobbing aloud. Dymov left
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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 Koran: advice; but ye love not sincere advisers.'
And Lot, when he said to his people, 'Do ye approach an
abomination which no one in all the world ever anticipated you in?
verily, ye approach men with lust rather than women- nay, ye are a
people who exceed.' But his people's answer only was to say, 'Turn
them out of your village, verily, they are a people who pretend to
purity.' But we saved him and his people, except his wife, who was
of those who lingered; and we rained down upon them a rain;- see
then how was the end of the sinners!
And unto Midian did we send their brother Sho'haib, who said, 'O
my people! serve God, ye have no god save Him. There has come to you a
The Koran |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn: supposed to be the Rojo.
She said:--
"Although we had been assured that you were a very skillful player upon
the biwa, and without an equal in recitative, we did not know that any one
could be so skillful as you have proved yourself to-night. Our lord has
been pleased to say that he intends to bestow upon you a fitting reward.
But he desires that you shall perform before him once every night for the
next six nights -- after which time he will probably make his august
return-journey. To-morrow night, therefore, you are to come here at the
same hour. The retainer who to-night conducted you will be sent for you...
There is another matter about which I have been ordered to inform you. It
Kwaidan |
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 A treatise on Good Works by Dr. Martin Luther: has so strictly commanded that the Gospel and this testament be
preached, that He does not wish even the mass to be celebrated,
unless the Gospel be preached, as He says: "As oft as ye do this,
remember me"; that is, as St. Paul says, "Ye shall preach of His
death." For this reason it is dreadful and horrible in our times
to be a bishop, pastor and preacher; for no one any longer knows
this testament, to say nothing of their preaching it, although
this is their highest and only duty and obligation. How heavily
must they give account for so many souls who must perish because
of this lack in preaching.
IV. We should pray, not as the custom is, counting many pages or
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