| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Royalty Restored/London Under Charles II by J. Fitzgerald Molloy: in the secret employment of the wicked Jesuits, and knew they
intended to stab and poison his majesty, establish catholicity in
England, and make the pope king. So far, indeed, had their evil
machinations been planned, that several popish peers already held
commissions for posts they expected to fill in the future. Lord
Bellasis and Lord Powis were appointed commanders of the forces
in the north and south; whilst Lord Arundel of Wardour had
permission to grant such positions as he pleased. Then the Dukes
of Buckingham, Ormond, and Monmouth, with Lords Shaftesbury and
Ossory, together with many others, were to be murdered by forty
thousand papists, who were ready to rise up all over the country
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini: furiously -upon renewing the encounter, till Mr. Wilding had been
forced to run him through the sword-arm and thus put him out of all case
of continuing. It was a story that heaped ridicule upon Sir Rowland
and did credit to Mr. Wilding.
Richard heard it, and trembled, enraged and impotent. Ruth heard it,
and was stirred despite herself to a feeling of gratitude towards
Wilding for the patience and toleration he had displayed.
There for a while the matter rested, and the days passed slowly. But
Sir Rowland's nature - mean at bottom - was spurred to find him some
other way of wiping out the score that lay `twixt him and Mr. Wilding,
a score mightily increased by the shame that Mr. Wilding had put upon
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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 My Aunt Margaret's Mirror by Walter Scott: town's end--in turnips and potatoes, the parks would bring L20
per acre; and if leased for building--oh, it was a gold mine!
And all sold for an old song out of the ancient possessor's
hands!" My comforters cannot bring me to repine much on this
subject. If I could be allowed to look back on the past without
interruption, I could willingly give up the enjoyment of present
income and the hope of future profit to those who have purchased
what my father sold. I regret the alteration of the ground only
because it destroys associations, and I would more willingly (I
think) see the Earl's Closes in the hands of strangers, retaining
their silvan appearance, than know them for my own, if torn up by
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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 Alcibiades I by Plato: of Asia, as they now are; whereas, we and our fathers were but private
persons. How ridiculous would you be thought if you were to make a display
of your ancestors and of Salamis the island of Eurysaces, or of Aegina, the
habitation of the still more ancient Aeacus, before Artaxerxes, son of
Xerxes. You should consider how inferior we are to them both in the
derivation of our birth and in other particulars. Did you never observe
how great is the property of the Spartan kings? And their wives are under
the guardianship of the Ephori, who are public officers and watch over
them, in order to preserve as far as possible the purity of the Heracleid
blood. Still greater is the difference among the Persians; for no one
entertains a suspicion that the father of a prince of Persia can be any one
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