| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Smalcald Articles by Dr. Martin Luther: piecemeal [mutilated or fragmentary]. For he who confesses
that all in him is nothing but sin comprehends all sins
excludes none, forgets none. Neither can the satisfaction be
uncertain, because it is not our uncertain, sinful work, but
it is the suffering and blood of the [spotless and] innocent
Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world.
Of this repentance John preaches, and afterwards Christ in the
Gospel, and we also. By this [preaching of] repentance we dash
to the ground the Pope and everything that is built upon our
good works. For all is built upon a rotten and vain
foundation, which is called a good work or law, even though no
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Vailima Prayers & Sabbath Morn by Robert Louis Stevenson: it?' I asked. 'It is this,' was the reply; 'I am not yet fit to
say, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us."'
It is with natural reluctance that I touch upon the last prayer of
my husband's life. Many have supposed that he showed, in the
wording of this prayer, that he had some premonition of his
approaching death. I am sure he had no such premonition. It was I
who told the assembled family that I felt an impending disaster
approaching nearer and nearer. Any Scot will understand that my
statement was received seriously. It could not be, we thought,
that danger threatened any one within the house; but Mr. Graham
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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 Apology by Xenophon: [32] {ta legomena}, "the meaning of words and the force of argument."
[33] {ek panton}. Cf. Thuc. i. 120, {osper kai en allois ek panton
protimontai (oi egemones)}, "as they (leaders) are first in
honour, they should be first in the fulfilment of their duties"
(Jowett).
[34] The commentators quote Libanius, "Apol." vol. iii. p. 39, {kai
dia touto ekalei men Eurulokhos o Kharistios, ekalei de Skopas k
Kranonios, oukh ekista lontes, upiskhnoumenoi}. Cf. Diog. Laert.
ii. 31, {Kharmidou oiketas auto didontos, in' ap' auton
prosodeuoito, oukh eileto}. Cf. id. 65, 74.
[35] See "Hell." II. ii. 10.
The Apology |
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 Salome by Oscar Wilde: comme les autres Deesses.
LA VOIX D'IOKANAAN. Il est venu, le Seigneur! Il est venu, le fils
de l'Homme. Les centaures se sont caches dans les rivieres, et les
sirenes ont quitte les rivieres et couchent sous les feuilles dans
les forets.
SALOME. Qui a crie cela?
SECOND SOLDAT. C'est le prophete, princesse.
SALOME. Ah! le prophete. Celui dont le tetrarque a peur?
SECOND SOLDAT. Nous ne savons rien de cela, princesse. C'est le
prophete Iokanaan.
LE JEUNE SYRIEN. Voulez-vous que je commande votre litiere,
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