| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from King Lear by William Shakespeare: If she sustain him and his hundred knights,
When I have show'd th' unfitness-
Enter [Oswald the] Steward.
How now, Oswald?
What, have you writ that letter to my sister?
Osw. Yes, madam.
Gon. Take you some company, and away to horse!
Inform her full of my particular fear,
And thereto add such reasons of your own
As may compact it more. Get you gone,
And hasten your return. [Exit Oswald.] No, no, my lord!
King Lear |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Historical Lecturers and Essays by Charles Kingsley: Hard will be that age,
An age of bad women,
An axe-age, a sword-age,
Shields oft cleft in twain,
A storm-age, a wolf-age,
Ere earth meet its doom.
So sang, 2000 years ago, perhaps, the great unnamed prophetess, of
our own race, of what might be, if we should fail mankind and our
own calling and election.
God grant that day may never come. But God grant, also, that if
that day does come, then may come true also what that wise Vala
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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 Emma by Jane Austen: Do not you pity me?"
Emma spoke her pity so very kindly, that with a sudden accession
of gay thought, he cried,
"Ah! by the bye," then sinking his voice, and looking demure for
the moment--"I hope Mr. Knightley is well?" He paused.--She coloured
and laughed.--"I know you saw my letter, and think you may remember
my wish in your favour. Let me return your congratulations.--
I assure you that I have heard the news with the warmest interest
and satisfaction.--He is a man whom I cannot presume to praise."
Emma was delighted, and only wanted him to go on in the same style;
but his mind was the next moment in his own concerns and with his
Emma |
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 Democracy In America, Volume 1 by Alexis de Toqueville: roads kept in better repair. Uniformity or permanence of design,
the minute arrangement of details, *t and the perfection of an
ingenious administration, must not be sought for in the United
States; but it will be easy to find, on the other hand, the
symptoms of a power which, if it is somewhat barbarous, is at
least robust; and of an existence which is checkered with
accidents indeed, but cheered at the same time by animation and
effort.
[Footnote t: A writer of talent, who, in the comparison which he
has drawn between the finances of France and those of the United
States, has proved that ingenuity cannot always supply the place
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