| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Heritage of the Desert by Zane Grey: "Danger? Yes, I suppose so," replied Naab, as if it were a new idea.
"My lad, the Mormons crossed here by the hundreds. Many were drowned.
This trail and crossing were unknown except to Indians before the Mormon
exodus."
The mustangs had to be driven into the water. Scarbreast led, and his
mustang, after many kicks and reluctant steps, went over his depth,
wetting the stalwart chief to the waist. Bare-legged Indians waded in
and urged their pack-ponies. Shouts, shrill cries, blows mingled with
snorts and splashes.
Dave and George Naab in flat boats rowed slowly on the down-stream side
of the Indians. Presently all the mustangs and ponies were in, the
The Heritage of the Desert |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians by Martin Luther: they said: "We have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of
sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the
sect of the Nazarenes." The Gentiles uttered similar complaints: "These
men do exceedingly trouble our city."
This man Luther is also accused of being a pestilent fellow who troubles
the papacy and the Roman empire. If I would keep silent, all would be well,
and the Pope would no more persecute me. The moment I open my mouth
the Pope begins to fume and to rage. It seems we must choose between
Christ and the Pope. Let the Pope perish.
Christ foresaw the reaction of the world to the Gospel. He said: "I am come
to send fire on the earth, and what will I, if it be already kindled?"
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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 Sylvie and Bruno by Lewis Carroll: "Perhaps," I said, for Bruno had twisted up the last word into a sort
of question, and was looking at me for an answer.
One word was quite enough for the little fellow, and he went on
merrily. "Well, and so he didn't want the other caterpillar to see the
moth's wing, oo know--so what must he do but try to carry it with all
his left legs, and he tried to walk on the other set. Of course he
toppled over after that."
"After what?" I said, catching at the last word, for, to tell the
truth, I hadn't been attending much.
"He toppled over," Bruno repeated, very gravely, "and if oo ever saw a
caterpillar topple over, oo'd know it's a welly serious thing, and not
Sylvie and Bruno |
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 Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: compluribus factis, alii vadis Rhodani, qua minima altitudo fluminis erat,
non numquam interdiu, saepius noctu si perrumpere possent conati, operis
munitione et militum concursu et telis repulsi, hoc conatu destiterunt.
Relinquebatur una per Sequanos via, qua Sequanis invitis propter
angustias ire non poterant. His cum sua sponte persuadere non possent,
legatos ad Dumnorigem Haeduum mittunt, ut eo deprecatore a Sequanis
impetrarent. Dumnorix gratia et largitione apud Sequanos plurimum poterat
et Helvetiis erat amicus, quod ex ea civitate Orgetorigis filiam in
matrimonium duxerat, et cupiditate regni adductus novis rebus studebat et
quam plurimas civitates suo beneficio habere obstrictas volebat. Itaque
rem suscipit et a Sequanis impetrat ut per fines suos Helvetios ire
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