| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: XVII.
Said Ioasaph unto Barlaam, "This story also fitly setteth forth
mine own estate. Whence also me thinketh that thou hadst me in
mind when thou spakest it. But what is the proof whereby thou
seekest to know the steadfastness of my purpose?"
Said the elder, "I have already proved thee, and know how wise
and steadfast is thy purpose, and how truly upright is thine
heart. But the end of thy fortune shall confirm it. For this
cause I bow my knees unto our God glorified in Three Persons, the
Maker of all things visible and invisible, who verily is, and is
for ever, that never had beginning of his glorious being, nor
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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 Golden Sayings of Epictetus by Epictetus: III
Try to enjoy the great festival of life with other men.
IV
But I have one whom I must please, to whom I must be
subject, whom I must obey:-- God, and those who come next to Him.
He hath entrusted me with myself: He hath made my will subject to
myself alone and given me rules for the right use thereof.
V
Rufus used to say, If you have leisure to praise me, what I
say is naught. In truth he spoke in such wise, that each of us
who sat there, though that some one had accused him to Rufus:-- so
The Golden Sayings of Epictetus |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Weir of Hermiston by Robert Louis Stevenson: These four brothers were united by a close bond, the bond of that mutual
admiration - or rather mutual hero-worship - which is so strong among
the members of secluded families who have much ability and little
culture. Even the extremes admired each other. Hob, who had as much
poetry as the tongs, professed to find pleasure in Dand's verses; Clem,
who had no more religion than Claverhouse, nourished a heartfelt, at
least an open-mouthed, admiration of Gib's prayers; and Dandie followed
with relish the rise of Clem's fortunes. Indulgence followed hard on
the heels of admiration. The laird, Clem, and Dand, who were Tories and
patriots of the hottest quality, excused to themselves, with a certain
bashfulness, the radical and revolutionary heresies of Gib. By another
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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 Enoch Arden, &c. by Alfred Tennyson: To let that handsome fellow Averill walk
So freely with his daughter? people talk'd--
The boy might get a notion into him;
The girl might be entangled ere she knew.
Sir Aylmer Aylmer slowly stiffening spoke:
`The girl and boy, Sir, know their differences!'
`Good' said his friend `but watch!' and he `enough,
More than enough, Sir! I can guard my own.'
They parted, and Sir Aylmer Aylmer watch'd.
Pale, for on her the thunders of the house
Had fallen first, was Edith that same night;
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