| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Mosses From An Old Manse by Nathaniel Hawthorne: intellect, and often, as it were, impels the quaffer to quarrel
in his cups. For such reasons, strange to say, it is harder to
contrive a friendly arrangement of these brethren of love and
righteousness, in the procession of life. than to unite even the
wicked, who, indeed, are chained together by their crimes. The
fact is too preposterous for tears, too lugubrious for laughter.
But, let good men push and elbow one another as they may during
their earthly march, all will be peace among them when the
honorable array or their procession shall tread on heavenly
ground. There they will doubtless find that they have been
working each for the other's cause, and that every well-delivered
Mosses From An Old Manse |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: with the one hand, for he was a mighty quarry. And I threw
him down before the ship and roused my company with soft
words, standing by each man in turn:
'"Friends, for all our sorrows we shall not yet a while go
down to the house of Hades, ere the coming of the day of
destiny; go to then, while as yet there is meat and drink
in the swift ship, let us take thought thereof, that we be
not famished for hunger."
'Even so I spake, and they speedily hearkened to my words.
They unmuffled their heads, and there on the shore of the
unharvested sea gazed at the stag, for he was a mighty
The Odyssey |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: himself lovingly in the contemplation of this tremendous mystery,
and when he looked at the moon again it had risen a hand's
breadth above the trees. Would she come? He forced himself to
lay still, overcoming the impulse to rise and rush round the
clearing again. He turned this way and that; at last, quivering
with the effort, he lay on his back, and saw her face among the
stars looking down on him.
The croaking of frogs suddenly ceased. With the watchfulness of
a hunted man Dain sat up, listening anxiously, and heard several
splashes in the water as the frogs took rapid headers into the
creek. He knew that they had been alarmed by something, and
Almayer's Folly |
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 Hiero by Xenophon: treasure. Spontaneously they yield him passage in the streets. They
rise from their seats to do him honour, out of love not fear; they
crown him for his public[16] virtue's sake and benefactions. They
shower gifts upon him of their own free choice. These same are they
who, if my definition holds, may well be said to render honour to
their hero by such service, whilst he that is held worthy of these
services is truly honoured. And for my part I can but offer my
congratulations to him. "God bless him," say I, perceiving that so far
from being the butt of foul conspiracy, he is an object of anxiety to
all, lest evil should betide him; and so he pursues the even tenour of
his days in happiness exempt from fears and jealousy[17] and risk. But
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