| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Koran: crooked. Remember when ye were few and He multiplied you; and see what
was the end of thee evildoers! And if there be a party of you who
believe in what I am sent with, and a party who believe not, then wait
patiently until God judges between us, for He is the best of
judges.' Said the crowd of those who were big with pride amongst His
people, 'We will of a surety turn thee out, O Sho'haib! and those
who believe with thee, from our village; or else thou shalt return
unto our faith.' Said he, 'What even if we be averse therefrom? We
shall have devised a lie against God if we return unto your faith,
after God has saved us from it; and what should ail us that we
should return thereto, unless that God our Lord should please? our
The Koran |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Russia in 1919 by Arthur Ransome: not got a thousand roubles apiece, "so uncle offered to pay it
in for them, on the understanding that they would eventually
pay him back." This was illegal, but the little town was a
long way from the centre of things, and it seemed a good
way out of the difficulty. He did not expect to get it back,
but he hoped in this way to keep control of the tannery,
which he wished to develop, having a paternal interest in it.
Things worked very well. They elected a committee of
control. "Uncle was elected president, I was elected
vice-president, and there were three workmen. We are
working on those lines to this day. They give uncle 1,500
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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 Cavalry General by Xenophon: nearest the enemy in each file will keep their lances erect, and the
rest low enough not to show above.
[3] Cf. Polyaen. II. i. 17, of Agesilaus in Macedonia, 394 B.C. (our
author was probably present); IV. iv. 3, of Antipater in Thessaly,
323 B.C.
[4] Lit. "steal your troopers." See "Cyrop." V. iv. 48.
[5] Lit. "form your decads (squads of ten; cf. our 'fours') in ranks
and deploy with intervals."
To come to the next topic: you may work on the enemy's fears by the
various devices of mock ambuscades, sham relief parties, false
information. Conversely, his confidence will reach an overweening
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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 Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson: sense?"
"In the plain meaning of the word, sir," said I. "I was on my way
to your house, when I was trepanned on board the brig, cruelly
struck down, thrown below, and knew no more of anything till we
were far at sea. I was destined for the plantations; a fate that,
in God's providence, I have escaped."
"The brig was lost on June the 27th," says he, looking in his
book," and we are now at August the 24th. Here is a considerable
hiatus, Mr. Balfour, of near upon two months. It has already
caused a vast amount of trouble to your friends; and I own I
shall not be very well contented until it is set right."
Kidnapped |
