| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Enemies of Books by William Blades:
CHAPTER IV.
DUST AND NEGLECT.
Books should have gilt tops.-Old libraries were neglected.--
Instance of a College library.- Clothes brushed in it.-Abuses
in French libraries.-Derome's account of them.--Boccaccio's story
of library at the Convent of Mount Cassin.
CHAPTER V.
IGNORANCE AND BIGOTRY.
Destruction of Books at the Reformation.- Mazarin library.--
Caxton used to light the fire.--Library at French Protestant Church,
St. Martin's-le- Grand.- Books stolen.- Story of books from
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death by Patrick Henry: by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until
our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make
a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power.
The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a
country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy
can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone.
There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will
raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the
strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir,
we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late
to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery!
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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 Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: blood cool'd--the freak gradually went off, till at length I would not have
given a cherry-stone to have it gratified--The truth was, my time was
short, and my heart was at the Tomb of the Lovers--I wish to God, said I,
as I got the rapper in my hand, that the key of the library may be but
lost; it fell out as well--
For all the Jesuits had got the cholic--and to that degree, as never was
known in the memory of the oldest practitioner.
Chapter 4.XXI.
As I knew the geography of the Tomb of the Lovers, as well as if I had
lived twenty years in Lyons, namely, that it was upon the turning of my
right hand, just without the gate, leading to the Fauxbourg de Vaise--I
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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 Symposium by Plato: Wherefore love is of immortality.'
All this she taught me at various times when she spoke of love. And I
remember her once saying to me, 'What is the cause, Socrates, of love, and
the attendant desire? See you not how all animals, birds, as well as
beasts, in their desire of procreation, are in agony when they take the
infection of love, which begins with the desire of union; whereto is added
the care of offspring, on whose behalf the weakest are ready to battle
against the strongest even to the uttermost, and to die for them, and will
let themselves be tormented with hunger or suffer anything in order to
maintain their young. Man may be supposed to act thus from reason; but why
should animals have these passionate feelings? Can you tell me why?'
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