| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Concerning Christian Liberty by Martin Luther: to seek after merits, rewards, and things which are already ours,
and we have made of Christ a taskmaster far more severe than
Moses.
The Blessed Virgin beyond all others, affords us an example of
the same faith, in that she was purified according to the law of
Moses, and like all other women, though she was bound by no such
law and had no need of purification. Still she submitted to the
law voluntarily and of free love, making herself like the rest of
women, that she might not offend or throw contempt on them. She
was not justified by doing this; but, being already justified,
she did it freely and gratuitously. Thus ought our works too to
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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 Crisis in Russia by Arthur Ransome: than his predecessors not to set the population against him
and to preserve the loyalty of his army, it may be said with
absolute certainty that any large success on his part would
bring crowding to his banner the same crowd of stupid
reactionary officers who brought to nothing any mild desire
for moderation that may have been felt by General Denikin.
If the area he controls increases, his power of control over
his subordinates will decrease, and the forces that led to
Denikin's collapse will be set in motion in his case also.*
[(*)On the day on which I send this book to the printers
news comes of Wrangel's collapse and flight. I leave
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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 Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: Rue de la Prefecture in the fine old mansion of the Rupts, with an
immense garden stretching to the Rue du Perron. Madame de Watteville,
devout as a girl, became even more so after her marriage. She is one
of the queens of the saintly brotherhood which gives the upper circles
of Besancon a solemn air and prudish manners in harmony with the
character of the town.
Monsieur le Baron de Watteville, a dry, lean man devoid of
intelligence, looked worn out without any one knowing whereby, for he
enjoyed the profoundest ignorance; but as his wife was a red-haired
woman, and of a stern nature that became proverbial (we still say "as
sharp as Madame de Watteville"), some wits of the legal profession
Albert Savarus |
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 Bab:A Sub-Deb, Mary Roberts Rinehart by Mary Roberts Rinehart: she must be remembered because if not she will be most unpleasant
next fall, and swipe my chaffing dish. Forty five dollars is a lot
of Money."
"You only have to do it once," said Jane, who could aford to be
calm, as it was costing her nothing.
However, I sent the violets aud paid with a check. I felt better by
subtracting the amount from one thousand. I had still $945.00, less
the facials and so on, which had been ten.
This is not a finantial story, although turning on Money. I do not
wish to be considered as thinking only of Wealth. Indeed, I have
always considered that where my heart was in question I would
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