| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy: red scab in place of a nose came up to Katusha. She gave him
something, drew nearer him, and, evincing no sign of disgust, but
her eyes still shining with joy, kissed him three times. And
while she was doing this her eyes met Nekhludoff's with a look as
if she were asking, "Is this that I am doing right?" "Yes, dear,
yes, it is right; everything is right, everything is beautiful. I
love!"
They came down the steps of the porch, and he came up to them.
He did not mean to give them the Easter kiss, but only to be
nearer to her. Matrona Pavlovna bowed her head, and said with a
smile, "Christ is risen!" and her tone implied, "To-day we are
Resurrection |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Travels of Sir John Mandeville by Sir John Mandeville: the attendance of their service. The one is master of his
household, another is his chamberlain, another serveth him of a
dish, another of the cup, another is steward, another is marshal,
another is prince of his arms, and thus is he full nobly and
royally served. And his land dureth in very breadth four month's
journeys, and in length out of measure, that is to say, all isles
under earth that we suppose to be under us.
Beside the isle of Pentexoire, that is the land of Prester John, is
a eat isle, long and broad, that men clepe Mistorak; and it is in
the lordship of Prester John. In that isle is great plenty of
goods.
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A treatise on Good Works by Dr. Martin Luther: as the other without all distinction.
XX. Now, if some one should find that more wantonness arose in
his flesh from eating fish than from eating eggs and meat, let
him eat meat and not fish. Again, if he find that his head
becomes confused and crazed or his body and stomach injured
through fasting, or that it is not needful to kill the wantonness
of his flesh, he shall let fasting alone entirely, and eat,
sleep, be idle as is necessary for his health, regardless whether
it be against the command of the Church, or the rules of monastic
orders: for no commandment of the Church, no law of an order can
make fasting, watching and labor of more value than it has in
|
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 Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner: Hottentot, upon the highest stood Bonaparte Blenkins, both hands folded
under the tails of his coat, and his eyes fixed on the sunset sky.
The German dropped the saddle on the ground.
"Bish, bish, bish! what may this be?" he said, and walked toward the house.
"Very strange!"
The girls followed him: Em still weeping; Lyndall with her face rather
white and her eyes wide open.
"And I have the heart of a devil, did you say? You could run me through
with a knife, could you?" cried the Dutchwoman. "I could not drive the
Kaffer maid away because I was afraid of you, was I? Oh, you miserable
rag! I loved you, did I? I would have liked to marry you, would I? would
|
