| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Maitre Cornelius by Honore de Balzac: love made them find faithful interpreters in the icy hands of the old
priest to whom they confessed their sins, and from whom they received
the Host at the holy table. Love profound! love gashed into the soul
like a scar upon the body which we carry through life! When these two
young people looked at each other, the woman seemed to say to her
lover, "Let us love each other and die!" To which the young knight
answered, "Let us love each other and not die." In reply, she showed
him a sign her old duenna and two pages. The duenna slept; the pages
were young and seemingly careless of what might happen, either of good
or evil, to their masters.
"Do not be frightened as you leave the church; let yourself be
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Inaugural Address by John F. Kennedy: we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not
have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny.
We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view.
But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their
own freedom. . .and to remember that. . .in the past. . .those who
foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.
To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe
struggling to break the bonds of mass misery: we pledge our best
efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period
is required. . .not because the Communists may be doing it,
not because we seek their votes, but because it is right.
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