| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Paz by Honore de Balzac: It is well to mention that Adam and Clementine, married in December,
1835, had gone soon after the wedding to Italy, Switzerland, and
Germany, where they spent the greater part of two years. Returning to
Paris in November, 1837, the countess entered society for the first
time as a married woman during the winter which had just ended, and
she then became aware of the existence, half-suppressed and wholly
dumb but very useful, of a species of factotum who was personally
invisible, named Paz,--spelt thus, but pronounced "Patz."
"Monsieur le capitaine Paz begs Madame la comtesse to excuse him,"
said the footman, returning. "He is at the stables; as soon as he has
changed his dress Comte Paz will present himself to Madame."
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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 Jungle by Upton Sinclair: his arms to her, he called her in wild despair; a fearful yearning
surged up in him, hunger for her that was agony, desire that was a
new being born within him, tearing his heartstrings, torturing him.
But it was all in vain--she faded from him, she slipped back and
was gone. And a wail of anguish burst from him, great sobs shook
all his frame, and hot tears ran down his cheeks and fell upon her.
He clutched her hands, he shook her, he caught her in his arms and
pressed her to him but she lay cold and still--she was gone--she was gone!
The word rang through him like the sound of a bell, echoing in the far
depths of him, making forgotten chords to vibrate, old shadowy fears
to stir--fears of the dark, fears of the void, fears of annihilation.
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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 Yates Pride by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman: was dignifiedly silent with regard to its intimate mysteries.
"I suppose so," assented Anna, with a soft sigh. Amelia sighed
also. Then she took the tea-tray out of the room. She had to
make some biscuits for supper.
Meantime Eudora was pacing homeward with the baby-carriage. Her
serene face was a little perturbed. Her oval cheeks were flushed,
and her mouth now and then trembled. She had, if she followed
her usual course, to pass the Wellwood Inn, but she could
diverge, and by taking a side street and walking a half-mile
farther reach home without coming in sight of the inn. She did
so to-day.
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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 Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: wrong and detraction they can behind each other's back; therefore God
also punishes them, that they sink into all kinds of filth and misery.
As a rule, the parents, too, are themselves stupid and ignorant; one
fool trains [teaches] another, and as they have lived, so live their
children after them.
This, now, I say should be the first and most important consideration
to urge us to the observance of this commandment; on which account,
even if we had no father and mother we ought to wish that God would set
up wood and stone before Us, whom we might call father and mother. How
much more, since He has given us living parents, should we rejoice to
show them honor and obedience, because we know it is so highly pleasing
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