| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Purse by Honore de Balzac: Adelaide could read Hippolyte's thoughts. Though he could not
confess his misdeeds, the painter knew them, and he had come back
to his mistress more in love, and more affectionate, trying thus
to purchase her tacit forgiveness. Adelaide was enjoying such
perfect, such sweet happiness, that she did not think she had
paid too dear for it with all the grief that had so cruelly
crushed her soul. And yet, this true concord of hearts, this
understanding so full of magic charm, was disturbed by a little
speech of Madame de Rouville's.
"Let us have our little game," she said, "for my old friend
Kergarouet will not let me off."
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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 Augsburg Confession by Philip Melanchthon: themselves show. But if it be impossible to obtain a
mitigation of such observances as cannot be kept without sin,
we are bound to follow the apostolic rule, Acts 5, 29, which
commands us to obey God rather than men.
Peter, 1 Pet. 5, 3, forbids bishops to be lords, and to rule
over the churches. It is not our design now to wrest the
government from the bishops, but this one thing is asked,
namely, that they allow the Gospel to be purely taught, and
that they relax some few observances which cannot be kept
without sin. But if they make no concession, it is for them to
see how they shall give account to God for furnishing, by
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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 Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey: himself to a meetin' with you. He'd set Chess or Rugg to put
you out of the way. Still Bland's no coward, an' if you came
across him at a bad moment you'd have to be quicker 'n you was
with Bosomer."
"All right. I'll meet what comes," said Duane, quickly. "The
great point is to have horses ready and pick the right moment,
then rush the trick through."
"Thet's the ONLY chance fer success. An' you can't do it
alone."
"I'll have to. I wouldn't ask you to help me. Leave you
behind!"
The Lone Star Ranger |
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 Polity of Athenians and Lacedaemonians by Xenophon: virtuous living to be disregarded even in old age. (So, too, it is
worthy of admiration in him that he lent his helping hand to virtuous
old age.[3] Thus, by making the elders sole arbiters in the trial for
life, he contrived to charge old age with a greater weight of honour
than that which is accorded to the strength of mature manhood.) And
assuredly such a contest as this must appeal to the zeal of mortal man
beyond all others in a supreme degree. Fair, doubtless, are contests
of gymnastic skill, yet are they but trials of bodily excellence, but
this contest for the seniority is of a higher sort--it is an ordeal of
the soul itself. In proportion, therefore, as the soul is worthier
than the body, so must these contests of the soul appeal to a stronger
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