| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from On the Duty of Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau: and a whole country is unjustly overrun and conquered by a
foreign army, and subjected to military law, I think that it
is not too soon for honest men to rebel and revolutionize.
What makes this duty the more urgent is that fact that the
country so overrun is not our own, but ours is the invading army.
Paley, a common authority with many on moral questions,
in his chapter on the "Duty of Submission to Civil
Government," resolves all civil obligation into expediency;
and he proceeds to say that "so long as the interest of the
whole society requires it, that it, so long as the established
government cannot be resisted or changed without public
On the Duty of Civil Disobedience |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from From London to Land's End by Daniel Defoe: at Ebb Down, Burywood, Oldburgh Hill, Cummerford, Roundway Down,
St. Ann's Hill, Bratton Castle, Clay Hill, Stournton Park,
Whitecole Hill, Battlebury, Scrathbury, Tanesbury, Frippsbury,
Southbury Hill, Amesbury, Great Bodwin, Easterley, Merdon, Aubery,
Martenscil Hill, Barbury Castle, and many more.
Also the barrows, as we all agree to call them, are very many in
number in this county, and very obvious, having suffered very
little decay. These are large hillocks of earth cast up, as the
ancients agree, by the soldiers over the bodies of their dead
comrades slain in battle; several hundreds of these are to be seen,
especially in the north part of this county, about Marlborough and
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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 Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: bright-winged birds came fearlessly among them, pecking the same
ripe berries, and dipping their little beaks in the same flower-cups,
and the Fairies folded their arms lovingly about them, smoothed their
soft bosoms, and gayly sang to them.
"Now, little Eva," said they, "you will see that Fairies are not
idle, wilful Spirits, as mortals believe. Come, we will show you
what we do."
They led her to a lovely room, through whose walls of deep green
leaves the light stole softly in. Here lay many wounded insects,
and harmless little creatures, whom cruel hands had hurt; and pale,
drooping flowers grew beside urns of healing herbs, from whose fresh
Flower Fables |
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: [8] Or, "through flood and fire or other desperate strait." Cf.
"Anab." II. vi. 8.
Lofty of soul and large of judgment[9] may he be designated justly, at
whose back there steps a multitude stirred by his sole sentiment; not
unreasonably may he be said to march "with a mighty arm,"[10] to whose
will a thousand willing hands are prompt to minister; a great man in
every deed he is who can achieve great ends by resolution rather than
brute force.
[9] See "Ages." ix. 6, "of how lofty a sentiment."
[10] See Herod. vii. 20, 157; Thuc. iii. 96.
So, too, within the field of private industry, the person in
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