| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Koran: tidings of a clement boy.
And when he reached the age to work with him, he said, 'O my boy!
verily, I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice thee, look then
what thou seest right.'
Said he, 'O my sire! do what thou art bidden; thou wilt find me,
if it please God, one of the patient!'
And when they were resigned, and Abraham had thrown him down upon
his forehead, we called to him, 'O Abraham! thou hast verified the
vision; verily, thus do we reward those who do well. This is surely an
obvious trial.' And we ransomed him with a mighty victim; and we
left for him amongst posterity, 'Peace upon Abraham; thus do we reward
The Koran |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Walden by Henry David Thoreau: far off as the railroad, half a mile distant, or by the lingering
odor of a cigar or pipe. Nay, I was frequently notified of the
passage of a traveller along the highway sixty rods off by the scent
of his pipe.
There is commonly sufficient space about us. Our horizon is
never quite at our elbows. The thick wood is not just at our door,
nor the pond, but somewhat is always clearing, familiar and worn by
us, appropriated and fenced in some way, and reclaimed from Nature.
For what reason have I this vast range and circuit, some square
miles of unfrequented forest, for my privacy, abandoned to me by
men? My nearest neighbor is a mile distant, and no house is visible
Walden |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Beauty and The Beast by Bayard Taylor: Farmer Meadows looked at his wife, and no face was ever more
beautiful than his, with that expression of generous pity shining
through it.
"You know how I acted," Samuel Flint continued, "but our children
must also know that I broke off from you without giving any reason.
A woman came between us and made all the mischief. I was
considered rich then, and she wanted to secure my money for her
daughter. I was an innocent and unsuspecting young man, who
believed that everybody else was as good as myself; and the woman
never rested until she had turned me from my first love, and
fastened me for life to another. Little by little I discovered the
|
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 Emma by Jane Austen: could not have been a hope, a chance, a possibility;--but scarcely
are her remains at rest in the family vault, than her husband is
persuaded to act exactly opposite to what she would have required.
What a blessing it is, when undue influence does not survive the grave!--
He gave his consent with very little persuasion."
"Ah!" thought Emma, "he would have done as much for Harriet."
"This was settled last night, and Frank was off with the light
this morning. He stopped at Highbury, at the Bates's, I fancy,
some time--and then came on hither; but was in such a hurry to get
back to his uncle, to whom he is just now more necessary than ever,
that, as I tell you, he could stay with us but a quarter of an hour.--
Emma |
