| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin: title; attainable only by certain probation and trial both of
character and accomplishment; and to be forfeited, on conviction, by
their peers, of any dishonourable act. Such an institution would be
entirely, and with all noble results, possible, in a nation which
loved honour. That it would not be possible among us, is not to the
discredit of the scheme.
{28} See note {19}
{29} That no reference should be made to religious questions.
{30} I have sometimes been asked what this means. I intended it to
set forth the wisdom of men in war contending for kingdoms, and what
follows to set forth their wisdom in peace, contending for wealth.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Simple Soul by Gustave Flaubert: The narrow circle of her ideas grew more restricted than it already
was; the bellowing of the oxen, the chime of the bells no longer
reached her intelligence. All things moved silently, like ghosts. Only
one noise penetrated her ears; the parrot's voice.
As if to divert her mind, he reproduced for her the tick-tack of the
spit in the kitchen, the shrill cry of the fish-vendors, the saw of
the carpenter who had a shop opposite, and when the door-bell rang, he
would imitate Madame Aubain: "Felicite! go to the front door."
They held conversations together, Loulou repeating the three phrases
of his repertory over and over, Felicite replying by words that had no
greater meaning, but in which she poured out her feelings. In her
A Simple Soul |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from United States Declaration of Independence: He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns,
and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries
to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun
with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the
most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy of the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas
to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of
their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has
endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers,
United States Declaration of Independence |
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 Beauty and The Beast by Bayard Taylor: wandering about the country during this period, sleeping in woods
and barns, and living principally upon milk. The condition of his
pulse and other physical functions was scrupulously set down,
with an occasional remark of "good" or "bad." The conclusion was
at last forced upon me that he had been endeavoring to commit
suicide by a slow course of starvation and exposure. Either as the
cause or the result of this attempt, I read, in the final notes,
signs of an aberration of mind. This also explained the singular
demeanor of the man when found, and his refusal to take medicine or
nourishment. He had selected a long way to accomplish his purpose,
but had reached the end at last.
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