| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tales of the Klondyke by Jack London: shoes large, and she passed over. Then she called the dogs. But
they had neither poles nor shoes, and they broke through and were
swept under by the water. I held tight to the sled from behind,
till the traces broke and the dogs went on down under the ice.
There was little meat to them, but I had counted on them for a
week's grub, and they were gone.
"The next morning I divided all the grub, which was little, into
three portions. And I told Long Jeff that he could keep up with
us, or not, as he saw fit; for we were going to travel light and
fast. But he raised his voice and cried over his sore feet and
his troubles, and said harsh things against comradeship. Passuk's
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Fables by Robert Louis Stevenson: was autumn, and the wind blew from the place of rains; and upon the
one hand of her the sea beat, and upon the other the dead leaves
ran. This was the loneliest beach between two seas, and strange
things had been done there in the ancient ages. Now the King's
daughter was aware of a crone that sat upon the beach. The sea
foam ran to her feet, and the dead leaves swarmed about her back,
and the rags blew about her face in the blowing of the wind.
"Now," said the King's daughter, and she named a holy name, "this
is the most unhappy old crone between two seas."
"Daughter of a King," said the crone, "you dwell in a stone house,
and your hair is like the gold: but what is your profit? Life is
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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 Disputation of the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences by Dr. Martin Luther: redimere, Et tamen propter necessitatem ipsius met pie et dilecte
anime non redimunt eam gratuita charitate?
10. [85] Item. Cur Canones penitentiales re ipsa et non usu iam
diu in semet abrogati et mortui adhuc tamen pecuniis redimuntur
per concessionem indulgentiarum tanquam vivacissimi?
11. [86] Item. Cur Papa, cuius opes hodie sunt opulentissimis
Crassis crassiores, non de suis pecuniis magis quam pauperum
fidelium struit unam tantummodo Basilicam sancti Petri?
12. [87] Item. Quid remittit aut participat Papa iis, qui per
contritionem perfectam ius habent plenarie remissionis et
participationis?
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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 The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: might be her old chambermaid. There was connected with the remembrance
of this girl a remembrance of anger; and a desire of vengeance
disordered the features of Milady, which, however, immediately recovered
the calm and benevolent expression which this woman of a hundred faces
had for a moment allowed them to lose.
"And when can I see this young lady, for whom I already feel so great a
sympathy?" asked Milady.
"Why, this evening," said the abbess; "today even. But you have been
traveling these four days, as you told me yourself. This morning you
rose at five o'clock; you must stand in need of repose. Go to bed and
sleep; at dinnertime we will rouse you."
The Three Musketeers |
