| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin: I am persuaded, therefore, that ere long some ingenious philosopher
will undertake it, to whom I wish success.
We were several times chas'd in our passage, but outsail'd every thing,
and in thirty days had soundings. We had a good observation,
and the captain judg'd himself so near our port, Falmouth, that,
if we made a good run in the night, we might be off the mouth
of that harbor in the morning, and by running in the night might
escape the notice of the enemy's privateers, who often crus'd near
the entrance of the channel. Accordingly, all the sail was set
that we could possibly make, and the wind being very fresh and fair,
we went right before it, and made great way. The captain,
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Two Noble Kinsmen by William Shakespeare: Take from my hand, and they themselves become
The Executioners: Leade your Lady off;
And call your Lovers from the stage of death,
Whom I adopt my Frinds. A day or two
Let us looke sadly, and give grace unto
The Funerall of Arcite; in whose end
The visages of Bridegroomes weele put on
And smile with Palamon; for whom an houre,
But one houre, since, I was as dearely sorry,
As glad of Arcite: and am now as glad,
As for him sorry. O you heavenly Charmers,
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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 The Boys' Life of Abraham Lincoln by Helen Nicolay: out against Sherman. Grant pursued him with such energy that he
did not even allow himself the pleasure of entering the captured
rebel capital. The chase continued six days. On the evening of
April 8 the Union army succeeded in planting itself squarely
across Lee's line of retreat; and the marching and fighting of
his army were over for ever. On the next morning the two generals
met in a house on the edge of the village of Appomattox,
Virginia, Lee resplendent in a new uniform and handsome sword,
Grant in the travel-stained garments in which he had made the
campaign--the blouse of a private soldier, with the
shoulderstraps of a Lieutenant-General. Here the surrender took
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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 War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: "Under the lower pillow."
"It's not there."
Denisov threw both pillows on the floor. The purse was not there.
"That's a miwacle."
"Wait, haven't you dropped it?" said Rostov, picking up the
pillows one at a time and shaking them.
He pulled off the quilt and shook it. The purse was not there.
"Dear me, can I have forgotten? No, I remember thinking that you
kept it under your head like a treasure," said Rostov. "I put it
just here. Where is it?" he asked, turning to Lavrushka.
"I haven't been in the room. It must be where you put it."
War and Peace |
