| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Adventure by Jack London: divided by one power or another, while big companies had stepped in
and gobbled land, trading rights, fishing rights, everything.
"Next we sailed for the Marquesas. They were beautiful, but the
natives were nearly extinct. Dad was cut up when he learned that
the French charged an export duty on copra--he called it medieval--
but he liked the land. There was a valley of fifteen thousand
acres on Nuka-hiva, half inclosing a perfect anchorage, which he
fell in love with and bought for twelve hundred Chili dollars. But
the French taxation was outrageous (that was why the land was so
cheap), and, worst of all, we could obtain no labour. What kanakas
there were wouldn't work, and the officials seemed to sit up nights
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Koran: those who do good with good! those who shun great sins and
iniquities,-all but venial faults,-verily, thy Lord is of ample
forgiveness; He knows best about you, when He produced you from the
earth, and when ye were embryos in the wombs of your mothers.
Make not yourselves out, then to be pure; He knows best who it is
that fears.
Hast thou considered him who turns his back? who gives but little
and then stops? Has he then the knowledge of the unseen, so that he
can see?
Has he not been informed of what is in the pages of Moses and
Abraham who fulfilled his word? that no burdened soul shall bear the
The Koran |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton: comfort she had little guessed that they would come to her in
this form. She had found her friend, more than ever distracted
and yet buoyant, riding the large untidy waves of her life with
the splashed ease of an amphibian. Grace was probably the only
person among Susy's friends who could have understood why she
could not make up her mind to marry Altringham; but at the
moment Grace was too much absorbed in her own problems to pay
much attention to her friend's, and, according to her wont, she
immediately "unpacked" her difficulties.
Nat was not getting what she had hoped out of his European
opportunity. Oh, she was enough of an artist herself to know
|
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 Aeneid by Virgil: Of my full wishes, she refus'd the best!
She came; but brought not thee along, to bless
My longing eyes, and share in my success:
She grudg'd thy safe return, the triumphs due
To prosp'rous valor, in the public view.
Not thus I promis'd, when thy father lent
Thy needless succor with a sad consent;
Embrac'd me, parting for th' Etrurian land,
And sent me to possess a large command.
He warn'd, and from his own experience told,
Our foes were warlike, disciplin'd, and bold.
Aeneid |
