| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A treatise on Good Works by Dr. Martin Luther: come too close with their tempting of God. So He has forbidden
both, that we should err from His Commandment neither to the left
nor to the right, that is, neither with unbelief nor with
tempting, but with simple faith remain on the straight road,
trusting Him, and yet setting Him no bounds.
VI. Thus we see that this Commandment, like the Second, is to be
nothing else than a doing and keeping of the First Commandment,
that is, of faith, trust, confidence, hope and love to God, so
that in all the Commandments the First may be the captain, and
faith the chief work and the life of all other works, without
which, as was said, they cannot be good.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Kenilworth by Walter Scott: ascribe his abstinence to another cause.
"This fare is perhaps too coarse for your worship," said Wayland,
as the limbs of the capon disappeared before his own exertions;
"but had you dwelt as long as I have done in yonder dungeon,
which Flibbertigibbet has translated to the upper element, a
place where I dared hardly broil my food, lest the smoke should
be seen without, you would think a fair capon a more welcome
dainty."
"If you are pleased, friend," said Tressilian, "it is well.
Nevertheless, hasten thy meal if thou canst, For this place is
unfriendly to thy safety, and my concerns crave travelling."
Kenilworth |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) by Dante Alighieri: With open wings, which of a swan appeared,
Upward he turned us who thus spake to us,
Between the two walls of the solid granite.
He moved his pinions afterwards and fanned us,
Affirming those 'qui lugent' to be blessed,
For they shall have their souls with comfort filled.
"What aileth thee, that aye to earth thou gazest?"
To me my Guide began to say, we both
Somewhat beyond the Angel having mounted.
And I: "With such misgiving makes me go
A vision new, which bends me to itself,
The Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) |
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 Wrong Box by Stevenson & Osbourne: the blood leaped into Morris's check. 'I would rather die!' he
exclaimed, and, cramming his hat upon his head, strode forth into
the streets.
'I MUST raise funds,' he thought. 'My uncle being dead, the money
in the bank is mine, or would be mine but for the cursed
injustice that has pursued me ever since I was an orphan in a
commercial academy. I know what any other man would do; any other
man in Christendom would forge; although I don't know why I call
it forging, either, when Joseph's dead, and the funds are my own.
When I think of that, when I think that my uncle is really as
dead as mutton, and that I can't prove it, my gorge rises at the
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