| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Yates Pride by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman: minutes of her stay Amelia had slipped out of the room with the
blue and white bundle. Now she brought it out and laid it
carefully in the carriage.
"We are always so glad to see you, dearest Eudora," said she,
"but you understand --"
"Yes," said Sophia, "you understand, Eudora dear, that there is
not the slightest haste."
Eudora nodded, and her long neck seemed to grow longer.
When she was stepping regally down the path, Amelia said in a
hasty whisper to Sophia: "Did you tell her?"
Sophia shook her head. "No, sister."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Shakespeare's Sonnets by William Shakespeare: To every hymn that able spirit affords,
In polish'd form of well-refined pen.
Hearing you praised, I say ''tis so, 'tis true,'
And to the most of praise add something more;
But that is in my thought, whose love to you,
Though words come hindmost, holds his rank before.
Then others, for the breath of words respect,
Me for my dumb thoughts, speaking in effect.
LXXXVI
Was it the proud full sail of his great verse,
Bound for the prize of all too precious you,
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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 Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson: indescribably fine. (Is Marvell's Horatian Ode good enough? I
half think so.) But my great point is a fear that you are one of
those who are unjust to our old Tennyson's Duke of Wellington. I
have just been talking it over with Symonds; and we agreed that
whether for its metrical effects, for its brief, plain, stirring
words of portraiture, as - he 'that never lost an English gun,' or
- the soldier salute; or for the heroic apostrophe to Nelson; that
ode has never been surpassed in any tongue or time. Grant me the
Duke, O Weg! I suppose you must not put in yours about the
warship; you will have to admit worse ones, however. - Ever yours,
R. L. S.
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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 The Augsburg Confession by Philip Melanchthon: have grievously complained that by these strivings concerning
traditions they were prevented from giving attention to a
better kind of doctrine. Augustine also forbids that men's
consciences should be burdened with such observances, and
prudently advises Januarius that he must know that they are to
be observed as things indifferent; for such are his words.
Wherefore our teachers must not be looked upon as having taken
up this matter rashly or from hatred of the bishops, as some
falsely suspect. There was great need to warn the churches of
these errors, which had arisen from misunderstanding the
traditions. For the Gospel compels us to insist in the
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