| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Thus Spake Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche: Thy neighbours will always be poisonous flies; what is great in thee--that
itself must make them more poisonous, and always more fly-like.
Flee, my friend, into thy solitude--and thither, where a rough strong
breeze bloweth. It is not thy lot to be a fly-flap.--
Thus spake Zarathustra.
XIII. CHASTITY.
I love the forest. It is bad to live in cities: there, there are too many
of the lustful.
Is it not better to fall into the hands of a murderer, than into the dreams
of a lustful woman?
And just look at these men: their eye saith it--they know nothing better
Thus Spake Zarathustra |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Letters from England by Elizabeth Davis Bancroft: Lord Whitworth, whose title is extinct, he had borne the arms of
both Aylmer and Whitworth. Mr. Bancroft took out Lady Colchester,
and the old lady was wheeled out precisely as Grandma is.
At table she helped to the fish (cod, garnished round with smelts)
and insisted on carving the turkey herself, which she did extremely
well. By the way, I observe they never carve the breast of a turkey
LONGITUDINALLY, as we do, but in short slices, a little diagonally
from the centre. This makes many more slices, and quite large
enough where there are so many other dishes. The four ENTREE dishes
are always placed on the table when we sit down, according to our
old fashion, and not one by one. They have [them] warmed with hot
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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 Adam Bede by George Eliot: you must go back to that bare heap o' stones as the very crows fly
over an' won't stop at."
"Dear Aunt Rachel," said Dinah, looking up in Mrs. Poyser's face,
"it's your kindness makes you say I'm useful to you. You don't
really want me now, for Nancy and Molly are clever at their work,
and you're in good health now, by the blessing of God, and my
uncle is of a cheerful countenance again, and you have neighbours
and friends not a few--some of them come to sit with my uncle
almost daily. Indeed, you will not miss me; and at Snowfield
there are brethren and sisters in great need, who have none of
those comforts you have around you. I feel that I am called back
Adam Bede |
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 Stories From the Old Attic by Robert Harris: It is man's peculiar distinction to love even those who err.
--Marcus Aurelius, VII.22
A sweet disorder in the dress.
--Herrick
Once upon a time, many years from now, technology had continued its
remarkable progress to the point that the construction of artificial
people had finally become possible. These humakins, as they were
called, were made so carefully and with such art that no one could
tell the difference between a real human and an artificial
one--except that the artificial ones were flawless. Physically the
humakins were always young, always beautiful, always fresh; they
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