| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Philosophy 4 by Owen Wister: some good, cool beer, moreover, and spoke to several people of the
Bird-in-Hand, and got several answers: for instance, that the
Bird-in-Hand was at Hingham; that it was at Nantasket; that they had
better inquire for it at South Braintree; that they had passed it a mile
back; and that there was no such place. If you would gauge the
intelligence of our population, inquire your way in a rural
neighborhood. With these directions they took up their journey after an
hour and a half,--a halt made chiefly for the benefit of the black
gelding, whom they looked after as much as they did themselves. For a
while they discussed club matters seriously, as both of them were
officers of certain organizations, chosen so on account of their
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli: are met with in new ones; for although the prince is new, the
constitution of the state is old, and it is framed so as to receive
him as if he were its hereditary lord.
But returning to the subject of our discourse, I say that whoever will
consider it will acknowledge that either hatred or contempt has been
fatal to the above-named emperors, and it will be recognized also how
it happened that, a number of them acting in one way and a number in
another, only one in each way came to a happy end and the rest to
unhappy ones. Because it would have been useless and dangerous for
Pertinax and Alexander, being new princes, to imitate Marcus, who was
heir to the principality; and likewise it would have been utterly
The Prince |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from King James Bible: corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.
ZEC 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the
LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every
one grass in the field.
ZEC 10:2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a
lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they
went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no
shepherd.
ZEC 10:3 Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished
the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of
Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.
King James Bible |
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 Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: settled my household staff and habitation, made me a table and a
chair, and all as handsome about me as I could, I began to keep my
journal; of which I shall here give you the copy (though in it will
be told all these particulars over again) as long as it lasted; for
having no more ink, I was forced to leave it off.
CHAPTER V - BUILDS A HOUSE - THE JOURNAL
SEPTEMBER 30, 1659. - I, poor miserable Robinson Crusoe, being
shipwrecked during a dreadful storm in the offing, came on shore on
this dismal, unfortunate island, which I called "The Island of
Despair"; all the rest of the ship's company being drowned, and
myself almost dead.
Robinson Crusoe |
