| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from In Darkest England and The Way Out by General William Booth: away from the public-houses, the drink, and the companions that allure
him to it, and therefore we think the chances of reformation in him are
far greater.
Then think of the great boon this Scheme will be to the children,
bringing them out of the slums, wretched hovels, and filthy surroundings
in which they are being reared for lives of abomination of every
description, into the fields, amongst the green trees and cottage homes,
where they can grow up with a chance of saving both body and soul.
Think again of the change this Scheme will make for these poor
creatures from the depressing, demoralising surroundings, of the
unsightly, filthy quarters in which they are huddled together, to the
In Darkest England and The Way Out |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Bride of Lammermoor by Walter Scott: protection to his person and vindication to his character.
The statesman received these acknowledgments at first with well-
feigned surprise, and then with an affectation of frank
cordiality. The tears began already to start from Lucy's blue
eyes at viewing this unexpected and moving scene. To see the
Master, late so haughty and reserved, and whom she had always
supposed the injured person, supplicating her father for
forgiveness, was a change at once surprising, flattering, and
affecting.
"Dry your eyes, Lucy," said her father; "why should you weep,
because your father, though a lawyer, is discovered to be a fair
The Bride of Lammermoor |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Horse's Tale by Mark Twain: are not subjected to the indignity of hobbles, like myself and the
rest. Would you tell me your name?"
"You have probably heard of it - Soldier Boy."
"What! - the renowned, the illustrious?"
"Even so."
"It takes my breath! Little did I dream that ever I should stand
face to face with the possessor of that great name. Buffalo Bill's
horse! Known from the Canadian border to the deserts of Arizona,
and from the eastern marches of the Great Plains to the foot-hills
of the Sierra! Truly this is a memorable day. You still serve the
celebrated Chief of Scouts?"
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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 Varieties of Religious Experience by William James: Al-Ghazzali, a Persian philosopher and theologian, who flourished
in the eleventh century, and ranks as one of the greatest doctors
of the Moslem church, has left us one of the few autobiographies
to be found outside of Christian literature. Strange that a
species of book so abundant among ourselves should be so little
represented elsewhere--the absence of strictly personal
confessions is the chief difficulty to the purely literary
student who would like to become acquainted with the inwardness
of religions other than the Christian. M. Schmolders has
translated a part of Al-Ghazzali's autobiography into
French:[248]--
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