| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Democracy In America, Volume 1 by Alexis de Toqueville: The general table of these changes, which is given in the
"National Calendar," displays a striking picture of the unequal
fortunes of the different States.]
[Footnote p: It has just been said that in the course of the last
term the population of Virginia has increased thirteen per cent.;
and it is necessary to explain how the number of representatives
for a State may decrease, when the population of that State, far
from diminishing, is actually upon the increase. I take the
State of Virginia, to which I have already alluded, as my term of
comparison. The number of representatives of Virginia in 1823
was proportionate to the total number of the representatives of
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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 Deserted Woman by Honore de Balzac: mother's sincere affection, tried to entangle her son in virtuous
courses. She called his attention to the fact that it was a flattering
distinction to be preferred by Mlle. de la Rodiere, who had refused so
many great matches; it was quite time, she urged, that he should think
of his future, such a good opportunity might not repeat itself, some
day he would have eighty thousand livres of income from land; money
made everything bearable; if Mme. de Beauseant loved him for his own
sake, she ought to be the first to urge him to marry. In short, the
well-intentioned mother forgot no arguments which the feminine
intellect can bring to bear upon the masculine mind, and by these
means she had brought her son into a wavering condition.
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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 Youth by Joseph Conrad: boat. I thought it fine; and the fidelity to the old ship
was fine. We should see the last of her. Oh the glamour
of youth! Oh the fire of it, more dazzling than the
flames of the burning ship, throwing a magic light on the
wide earth, leaping audaciously to the sky, presently to
be quenched by time, more cruel, more pitiless, more
bitter than the sea--and like the flames of the burning
ship surrounded by an impenetrable night.
. . . . .
"The old man warned us in his gentle and inflexible
way that it was part of our duty to save for the under-
Youth |
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 Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: fool trains [teaches] another, and as they have lived, so live their
children after them.
This, now, I say should be the first and most important consideration
to urge us to the observance of this commandment; on which account,
even if we had no father and mother we ought to wish that God would set
up wood and stone before Us, whom we might call father and mother. How
much more, since He has given us living parents, should we rejoice to
show them honor and obedience, because we know it is so highly pleasing
to the Divine Majesty and to all angels, and vexes all devils, and is,
besides, the highest work which we can do, after the sublime divine
worship comprehended in the previous commandments, so that giving of
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