| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: inside cries cupboard."
In the meanwhile Messrs. Evans and Morgans were riding away, as
fast as the rough by-lanes would let them, along the fresh coast of
the bay, steering carefully clear of Northam town on the one hand,
and on the other, of Portledge, where dwelt that most Protestant
justice of the peace, Mr. Coffin. And it was well for them that
neither Amyas Leigh, nor indeed any other loyal Englishman, was by
when they entered, as they shortly did, the lonely woods which
stretch along the southern wall of the bay. For there Eustace
Leigh pulled up short; and both he and his groom, leaping from
their horses, knelt down humbly in the wet grass, and implored the
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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 Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde: a note-book, and used to read over at night, for he was a very good
scholar.
"Now it happened that one evening little Hans was sitting by his
fireside when a loud rap came at the door. It was a very wild
night, and the wind was blowing and roaring round the house so
terribly that at first he thought it was merely the storm. But a
second rap came, and then a third, louder than any of the others.
"'It is some poor traveller,' said little Hans to himself, and he
ran to the door.
"There stood the Miller with a lantern in one hand and a big stick
in the other.
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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 Tanach: Nehemiah 2: 14 Then I went on to the fountain gate and to the king's pool; but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.
Nehemiah 2: 15 Then went I up in the night in the valley, and viewed the wall; and I turned back, and entered by the valley gate, and so returned.
Nehemiah 2: 16 And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.
Nehemiah 2: 17 Then said I unto them: 'Ye see the evil case that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire; come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.'
Nehemiah 2: 18 And I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also of the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said: 'Let us rise up and build.' So they strengthened their hands for the good work.
Nehemiah 2: 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said: 'What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?'
Nehemiah 2: 20 Then answered I them, and said unto them: 'The God of heaven, He will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build; but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in J 
The Tanach |
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 Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: trip his purpose, resolved to obey, in order that he might escape
his hands, and take the journey that he desired. So he answered
and said, "I have indeed been longing to go in quest of that man
of God that pointed out to me the way of salvation, and, bidding
farewell to everything, to pass the rest of my life in his
company. But, father, since thou sufferest me not to fulfil my
heart's desire, I will obey thee herein: for where there is no
clear danger of perdition and estrangement from God, it is right
to obey one's father."
The king was filled with exceeding great joy, and divided all the
country under his sovranty into two parts, and appointed his son
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