| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Under the Andes by Rex Stout: for we walked at a brisk pace for a quarter of an hour or more.
At this point the stream was considerably wider than it was
below, and there was very little current. Desiree stood on the
bank while Harry and I waded out above our waists.
There was a long and weary wait before anything occurred. The
water was cold, and my limbs became stiff and numb; I called to
Harry that it was useless to wait longer, and was turning toward
the shore when there was a sudden commotion in the water not far
from where he stood.
I turned and saw Harry plunge forward with his spear.
"I've got him!" he yelled. "Come on!"
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Water-Babies by Charles Kingsley: or heard of an elephant. And suppose that you described him to
people, and said, "This is the shape, and plan, and anatomy of the
beast, and of his feet, and of his trunk, and of his grinders, and
of his tusks, though they are not tusks at all, but two fore teeth
run mad; and this is the section of his skull, more like a mushroom
than a reasonable skull of a reasonable or unreasonable beast; and
so forth, and so forth; and though the beast (which I assure you I
have seen and shot) is first cousin to the little hairy coney of
Scripture, second cousin to a pig, and (I suspect) thirteenth or
fourteenth cousin to a rabbit, yet he is the wisest of all beasts,
and can do everything save read, write, and cast accounts." People
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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 Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians by Martin Luther: the Galatians walked after the Spirit, but after the flesh.
The Gospel is not there for us to aggrandize ourselves. The Gospel is to
aggrandize Christ and the mercy of God. It holds out to men eternal gifts
that are not gifts of our own manufacture. What right have we to receive
praise and glory for gifts that are not of our own making?
No wonder that God in His special grace subjects the ministers of the
Gospel to all kinds of afflictions, otherwise they could not cope with this
ugly beast called vainglory. If no persecution, no cross, or reproach trailed
the doctrine of the Gospel, but only praise and reputation, the ministers of
the Gospel would choke with pride. Paul had the Spirit of Christ.
Nevertheless there was given unto him the messenger of Satan to buffet
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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 The Economist by Xenophon: alike, I set myself to make acquaintance with him.
[12] Or, "and try to understand."
[13] Or, "understand."
[14] See Cobet, "Pros. Xen." s.n.
VII
It chanced, one day I saw him seated in the portico of Zeus
Eleutherios,[1] and as he appeared to be at leisure, I went up to him
and, sitting down by his side, accosted him: How is this, Ischomachus?
you seated here, you who are so little wont to be at leisure? As a
rule, when I see you, you are doing something, or at any rate not
sitting idle in the market-place.
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