| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from I Have A Dream by Martin Luther King, Jr.: we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous
decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro
slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice.
It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity.
But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that
the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of
the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation
and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the
Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast
ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro
is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds
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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 Pocket Diary Found in the Snow by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: "Well?"
"The commissioner asked me yesterday if I knew of a church in the
city that had a slender spire with a green top and two poplars in
front of it."
Muller looked his interest.
"I thought it might possibly be the Convent Church of the Grey
Sisters, but I wasn't quite sure, so I went there an hour ago. It's
all right, just as I thought. And I suppose it has something to do
with the case of last night, so I thought I had better report at
once. I was on my way to the station."
"That will do very well. You have saved us much time and you have
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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 Mansion by Henry van Dyke: "Surely," answered the doctor, with his familiar smile; "it will
do you good. And you also must have a mansion in the city
waiting
for you--a fine one, too--are you not looking forward to it?"
"Yes," replied the other, hesitating a moment; "yes--I believe
it must be so, although I had not expected to see it so soon.
But I will go with you, and we can talk by the way."
The two men quickly caught up with the other people, and all went
forward
together along the road. The doctor had little to tell of his
experience,
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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 On Horsemanship by Xenophon: procession, rouse your horse and take the lead at a pace neither too
fast nor yet too slow, but in a way to bring out the best qualities in
all the animals, their spirit, fire, grace of mien and bearing ripe
for action--I say, if you take the lead of them in this style, the
collective thud, the general neighing and the snorting of the horses
will combine to render not only you at the head, but your whole
company[10] down to the last man a thrilling spectacle.
[9] Reading as vulg. {os malista epainousi tous toioutous ippous, os}.
L. Dind. omits the words as a gloss.
[10] Reading {oi} (for {osoi}) {sumparepomenoi}. See Hartmann, "An.
Xen. Nov." xiv. p. 343.
 On Horsemanship |