| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death by Patrick Henry: struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged
ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest
shall be obtained--we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight!
An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us!
They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable
an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week,
or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British
guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength but
irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance
by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until
our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make
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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 Turn of the Screw by Henry James: "He went, too," she brought out at last.
"Went where?"
Her expression, at this, became extraordinary. "God knows where!
He died."
"Died?" I almost shrieked.
She seemed fairly to square herself, plant herself more firmly to utter
the wonder of it. "Yes. Mr. Quint is dead."
VI
It took of course more than that particular passage to place us
together in presence of what we had now to live with as we could--
my dreadful liability to impressions of the order so vividly
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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 Little Britain by Washington Irving: spectacles. He is much thought of by the old women, who
consider him a kind of conjurer, because he has two of three
stuffed alligators hanging up in his shop, and several snakes in
bottles. He is a great reader of almanacs and newspapers, and
is much given to pore over alarming accounts of plots,
conspiracies, fires, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions; which
last phenomena he considers as signs of the times. He has
always some dismal tale of the kind to deal out to his customers,
with their doses; and thus at the same time puts both soul and
body into an uproar. He is a great believer in omens and
predictions; and has the prophecies of Robert Nixon and
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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 Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: "Keep your crown, Lily-Bell, for yonder come the Spirits with their
gifts to Thistle," said the Brownie. And, as he pointed with his
wand, out from among the mossy roots of an old tree came trooping
the Earth Spirits, their flower-bells ringing softly as they came,
and their jewelled garments glittering in the sun. On to where
Thistledown stood beneath the shadow of the flowers, with Lily-Bell
beside him, went the Spirits; and then forth sprang little Sparkle,
waving a golden flower, whose silvery music filled the air. "Dear
Thistle," said the shining Spirit, "what you toiled so faithfully
to win for another, let us offer now as a token of our love for you."
As she ceased, down through the air came floating bands of lovely
Flower Fables |
