| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin: instantly to be flogged out of the way whenever discovered;--that
covetousness and love of quarrelling are dangerous dispositions even
in children, and deadly dispositions in men and nations;--that, in
the end, the God of heaven and earth loves active, modest, and kind
people, and hates idle, proud, greedy, and cruel ones;--on these
general facts you are bound to have but one, and that a very strong,
opinion. For the rest, respecting religions, governments, sciences,
arts, you will find that, on the whole, you can know NOTHING,--judge
nothing; that the best you can do, even though you may be a well-
educated person, is to be silent, and strive to be wiser every day,
and to understand a little more of the thoughts of others, which so
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Iron Puddler by James J. Davis: XXXI UNACCUSTOMED AS I AM TO PUBLIC SPEAKING
XXXII LOGIC WINS IN THE STRETCH
XXXIII I MEET THE INDUSTRIAL CAPTAINS
XXXIV SHIRTS FOR TIN ROLLERS
XXXV AN UPLIFTER RULED BY ENVY
XXXVI GROWLING FOR THE BOSSES BLOOD
XXXVII FREE AND UNLIMITED COINAGE
XXXVIII THE EDITOR GETS MY GOAT
XXXIX PUTTING JAZZ INTO THE CAMPAIGN
XL FATHER TOOK ME SERIOUSLY
XLI A PAVING CONTRACTOR PUTS ME ON THE PAVING
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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 Bride of Lammermoor by Walter Scott: severe notice. He alluded with delicacy to the predicament in
which he himself stood with young Ravenswood, as having succeeded
in the long train of litigation by which the fortunes of that
noble house had been so much reduced, and confessed it would be
most peculiarly acceptable to his own feelings, could he find in
some sort to counterbalance the disadvantages which he had
occasioned the family, though only in the prosecution of his just
and lawful rights. He therefore made it his particular and
personal request that the matter should have no farther
consequences, an insinuated a desire that he himself should have
the merit of having put a stop to it by his favourable report and
The Bride of Lammermoor |
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 Tono Bungay by H. G. Wells: I went on through the plantations and out upon the downs, and
thence I saw Cothope with a new glider of his own design soaring
down wind to my old familiar "grounding" place. To judge by its
long rhythm it was a very good glider. "Like Cothope's cheek,"
thought I, "to go on with the research. I wonder if he's keeping
notes.... But all this will have to stop."
He was sincerely glad to see me. "It's been a rum go," he said.
He had been there without wages for a month, a man forgotten in
the rush of events.
"I just stuck on and did what I could with the stuff. I got a bit
of money of my own--and I said to myself, 'Well, here you are
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