| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: any one, nor from anger and hatred wish him ill, so that body and soul
may be innocent in regard to every one, but especially those who wish
you evil or inflict such upon you. For to do evil to one who wishes and
does you good is not human, but diabolical.
Secondly, under this commandment not only he is guilty who does evil to
his neighbor, but he also who can do him good, prevent, resist evil,
defend and save him, so that no bodily harm or hurt happen to him and
yet does not do it. If, therefore, you send away one that is naked when
you could clothe him, you have caused him to freeze to death; you see
one suffer hunger and do not give him food, you have caused him to
starve. So also, if you see any one innocently sentenced to death or in
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: other, and when we've found the money there won't be any difficulty in
carrying it off. But we ought to know who the people are who live in
this old barrack. If Perrache suspects, as you think, about the money,
he might give an alarm, and so many tenants, so many spies, you
know--"
"Oh! as for that," said Madame Cardinal, "I've found out already that
Monsieur du Portail, the old man who occupies the first floor, has
charge of an insane woman; I heard their Dutch servant-woman, Katte,
calling her Lydie this morning. The only other servant is an old valet
named Bruneau; he does everything, except cook."
"But the binder and the stitcher down below," returned Cerizet, "they
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg by Mark Twain: sack, open it, and see if the remark is correct: if correct, let
the money be delivered, with my sincere gratitude, to my benefactor
thus identified."
Mrs. Richards sat down, gently quivering with excitement, and was
soon lost in thinkings--after this pattern: "What a strange thing
it is! . . . And what a fortune for that kind man who set his bread
afloat upon the waters! . . . If it had only been my husband that
did it!--for we are so poor, so old and poor! . . ." Then, with a
sigh--"But it was not my Edward; no, it was not he that gave a
stranger twenty dollars. It is a pity too; I see it now. . . "
Then, with a shudder--"But it is GAMBLERS' money! the wages of sin;
The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg |
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 Complete Poems of Longfellow by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: On the frozen fens and moorlands.
Forth went Shingebis, the diver,
Wrestled all night with the North-Wind,
Wrestled naked on the moorlands
With the fierce Kabibonokka,
Till his panting breath grew fainter,
Till his frozen grasp grew feebler,
Till he reeled and staggered backward,
And retreated, baffled, beaten,
To the kingdom of Wabasso,
To the land of the White Rabbit,
|
