| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Miracle Mongers and Their Methods by Harry Houdini: Experimental Philosophy, London, 1763, Vol. 1,
page 289, contrasts feats of actual strength
with the tricks of the old-time performers:
Thomas Topham, born in London, and
now about thirty-one years of age, five feet
ten inches high, with muscles very hard
and prominent, was brought up a carpenter,
which trade he practiced till within
these six or seven years that he has shewed
feats of strength; but he is entirely
ignorant of any art to make his strength
 Miracle Mongers and Their Methods |
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 Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner: He heard it distinctly. Where were they going to, all those people?
He lay down quickly, and pulled the cover up over his head: but presently
the silky curls reappeared.
"Dying, dying, dying!" said the watch; "dying, dying, dying!"
He thought of the words his father had read that evening--"For wide is the
gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction and many there be
which go in thereat."
"Many, many, many!" said the watch.
"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life,
and few there be that find it."
"Few, few, few!" said the watch.
|