| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Koran: they were unjust: but we saved him and the fellows of the ark, and
we made it a sign unto the worlds.
And Abraham when he said to his people, 'Serve God and fear Him,
that is better for you if ye did but know. Ye only serve beside God
idols and do create a lie; verily, those whom ye serve beside God
cannot control for themselves provision; then crave provision with
God, and serve Him, and give thanks to Him; unto Him shall ye
return! And if ye say it is a lie, nations before you called (the
apostles) liars too; but an apostle has only his plain message to
preach!'
Have they not seen how God produces the creation, and then turns
The Koran |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift: this important subject, and maturely weighed the several schemes
of our projectors, I have always found them grossly mistaken in
their computation. It is true, a child just dropt from its dam,
may be supported by her milk, for a solar year, with little other
nourishment: at most not above the value of two shillings, which
the mother may certainly get, or the value in scraps, by her
lawful occupation of begging; and it is exactly at one year old
that I propose to provide for them in such a manner, as, instead
of being a charge upon their parents, or the parish, or wanting
food and raiment for the rest of their lives, they shall, on the
contrary, contribute to the feeding, and partly to the cloathing
A Modest Proposal |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom by William and Ellen Craft: gage ready, the officer said, "That is the way to
speak to them. If every nigger was drilled in this
manner, they would be as humble as dogs, and
never dare to run away.
The gentleman urged my master not to go to
the North for the restoration of his health, but to
visit the Warm Springs in Arkansas.
My master said, he thought the air of Phila-
delphia would suit his complaint best; and, not
only so, he thought he could get better advice
there.
Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom |
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 Tess of the d'Urbervilles, A Pure Woman by Thomas Hardy: "Though I do more real work today than all the week
besides."
"Do you?"
"All the week I work for the glory of man, and on
Sunday for the glory of God. That's more real than the
other--hey? I have a little to do here at this stile."
The man turned as he spoke to an opening at the
roadside leading into a pasture. "If you'll wait a
moment," he added, "I shall not be long."
As he had her basket she could not well do otherwise;
and she waited, observing him. He set down her basket
Tess of the d'Urbervilles, A Pure Woman |
