| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: Causa transeundi fuit quod ab Suebis complures annos exagitati bello
premebantur et agri cultura prohibebantur.
Sueborum gens est longe maxima et bellicosissima Germanorum omnium.
Hi centum pagos habere dicuntur, ex quibus quotannis singula milia
armatorum bellandi causa ex finibus educunt. Reliqui, qui domi manserunt,
se atque illos alunt; hi rursus in vicem anno post in armis sunt, illi
domi remanent. Sic neque agri cultura nec ratio atque usus belli
intermittitur. Sed privati ac separati agri apud eos nihil est, neque
longius anno remanere uno in loco colendi causa licet. Neque multum
frumento, sed maximam partem lacte atque pecore vivunt multum sunt in
venationibus; quae res et cibi genere et cotidiana exercitatione et
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from My Bondage and My Freedom by Frederick Douglass: discovery. But, as the night rambler in the woods drew nearer, I
found him to be a _friend_, not an enemy; it was a slave of Mr.
William Groomes, of Easton, a kind hearted fellow, named "Sandy."
Sandy lived with Mr. Kemp that year, about four miles from St.
Michael's. He, like myself had been hired out by the year; but,
unlike myself, had not been hired out to be broken. Sandy was
the husband of a free woman, who lived in the lower part of
_"Potpie Neck,"_ and he was now on his way through the woods, to
see her, and to spend the Sabbath with her.
As soon as I had ascertained that the disturber of my solitude
was not an enemy, but the good-hearted Sandy--a man as famous
My Bondage and My Freedom |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Mucker by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "You've said it," agreed Byrne. "It's Rio as soon as we can
make it. Pesita's promised to set you both loose in the
morning and send you under safe escort--Miguel to his happy
home, and you to El Orobo Rancho. I guess the old stiff isn't
so bad after all."
Miguel had pricked up his ears at the sound of the word
ESCORT. He leaned far forward, closer to the two Americans,
and whispered.
"Who is to command the escort?" he asked.
"I dunno," said Billy. "What difference does it make?"
"It makes all the difference between life and death for your
The Mucker |
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 Rape of Lucrece by William Shakespeare: Much like a press of people at a door,
Throng her inventions, which shall go before.
At last she thus begins:--'Thou worthy lord
Of that unworthy wife that greeteth thee,
Health to thy person! next vouchsafe to afford
(If ever, love, thy Lucrece thou wilt see)
Some present speed to come and visit me:
So, I commend me from our house in grief:
My woes are tedious, though my words are brief.'
Here folds she up the tenor of her woe,
Her certain sorrow writ uncertainly.
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