| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Heroes by Charles Kingsley: neck, and shook him as a mastiff shakes a rat; but he could
not shake him off his feet.
But Theseus was quick and wary, and clasped Kerkuon round the
waist, and slipped his loin quickly underneath him, while he
caught him by the wrist; and then he hove a mighty heave, a
heave which would have stirred an oak, and lifted Kerkuon,
and pitched him right over his shoulder on the ground.
Then he leapt on him, and called, 'Yield, or I kill thee!'
but Kerkuon said no word; for his heart was burst within him
with the fall, and the meat, and the wine.
Then Theseus opened the gates, and called in all the people;
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Sophist by Plato: more distinctly, whether they further admit that the soul knows, and that
being or essence is known.
THEAETETUS: There can be no doubt that they say so.
STRANGER: And is knowing and being known doing or suffering, or both, or
is the one doing and the other suffering, or has neither any share in
either?
THEAETETUS: Clearly, neither has any share in either; for if they say
anything else, they will contradict themselves.
STRANGER: I understand; but they will allow that if to know is active,
then, of course, to be known is passive. And on this view being, in so far
as it is known, is acted upon by knowledge, and is therefore in motion; for
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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 Betty Zane by Zane Grey: his keen eyes on the stake. At that distance the head of the nail looked like
a tiny black speck. Wetzel took one of the locks of hair that waved over his
broad shoulders and held it up in front of his eyes a moment. He thus
ascertained that there was not any perceptible breeze. The long black barrel
started slowly to rise--it seemed to the interested onlookers that it would
never reach a level and when, at last. it became rigid, there was a single
second in which man and rifle appeared as if carved out of stone. Then
followed a burst of red flame, a puff of white smoke, a clear ringing report.
Many thought the hunter had missed altogether. It seemed that the nail had not
changed its position; there was no bullet hole in the white lime wash that had
been smeared round the nail. But on close inspection the nail was found to
Betty Zane |
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 Disputation of the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences by Dr. Martin Luther: Christi equivalere, blasphemia est.
5. [80] Rationem reddent Episcopi, Curati et Theologi, Qui tales
sermones in populum licere sinunt.
6. [81] Facit hec licentiosa veniarum predicatio, ut nec
reverentiam Pape facile sit etiam doctis viris redimere a
calumniis aut certe argutis questionibus laicorm.
7. [82] Scilicet. Cur Papa non evacuat purgatorium propter
sanctissimam charitatem et summam animarum necessitatem ut causam
omnium iustissimam, Si infinitas animas redimit propter pecuniam
funestissimam ad structuram Basilice ut causam levissimam?
8. [83] Item. Cur permanent exequie et anniversaria defunctorum et
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