| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lemorne Versus Huell by Elizabeth Drew Stoddard: week from that date Samuel Uxbridge, the senior partner of Uxbridge
Brothers, went to Europe with his family, and I went to Waterbury,
accompanied by Mr. Uxbridge. He consulted mother in regard to our
marriage, and appointed it in November. In October Aunt Eliza sent
for me to come back to Bond Street and spend a week. She had some
fine marking to do, she wrote. While there I noticed a restlessness
in her which I had never before observed, and conferred with Mrs.
Roll on the matter. "She do be awake nights a deal, and that's the
reason," Mrs. Roll said. Her manner was the same in other respects.
She said she would not give me any thing for my wedding outfit, but
she paid my fare from Waterbury and back.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: strawberry, which, with sugar from the violet, and cream
from the yellow milkweed, made a fairy meal, and their drink was
the dew from the flowers' bright leaves.
"Ah me," sighed Primrose, throwing herself languidly back,
"how warm the sun grows! give me another piece of strawberry,
and then I must hasten away to the shadow of the ferns. But
while I eat, tell me, dear Violet, why are you all so sad?
I have scarce seen a happy face since my return from Rose Land;
dear friend, what means it?"
"I will tell you," replied little Violet, the tears gathering
in her soft eyes. "Our good Queen is ever striving to keep
Flower Fables |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from In the South Seas by Robert Louis Stevenson: Mahinui, who combined the incongruous characters of catechist and
convict. The reader may smile, but I affirm he was well qualified
for either part. For that of convict, first of all, by a good
substantial felony, such as in all lands casts the perpetrator in
chains and dungeons. Taniera was a man of birth - the chief a
while ago, as he loved to tell, of a district in Anaa of 800 souls.
In an evil hour it occurred to the authorities in Papeete to charge
the chiefs with the collection of the taxes. It is a question if
much were collected; it is certain that nothing was handed on; and
Taniera, who had distinguished himself by a visit to Papeete and
some high living in restaurants, was chosen for the scapegoat. The
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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 Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx: The aristocracy, in order to rally the people to them, waved the
proletarian alms-bag in front for a banner. But the people, so
often as it joined them, saw on their hindquarters the old feudal
coats of arms, and deserted with loud and irreverent laughter.
One section of the French Legitimists and "Young England"
exhibited this spectacle.
In pointing out that their mode of exploitation was different to
that of the bourgeoisie, the feudalists forget that they
exploited under circumstances and conditions that were quite
different, and that are now antiquated. In showing that, under
their rule, the modern proletariat never existed, they forget
The Communist Manifesto |
