| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Second Inaugural Address by Abraham Lincoln: in regard to it is ventured.
On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts
were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it--
all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered
from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war,
insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war--
seeking to dissolve the Union, and divide effects, by negotiation.
Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather
than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather
than let it perish. And the war came.
One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed
Second Inaugural Address |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Contrast by Royall Tyler: You hear true. I was consulted in the choice
of the wedding clothes. She is to be married in a
delicate white sattin, and has a monstrous pretty
brocaded lutestring for the second day. It would
have done you good to have seen with what an
affected indifference the dear sentimentalist turned
over a thousand pretty things, just as if her heart
did not palpitate with her approaching happiness,
and at last made her choice and arranged her dress
with such apathy as if she did not know that plain
white sattin and a simple blond lace would shew her
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Illustrious Gaudissart by Honore de Balzac: meet the payments on the intellectual capital which each man
recognizes and esteems in himself, it is of course necessary that each
should pay a certain premium, three per cent; an annual due of three
per cent. Thus, by the payment of this trifling sum, a mere nothing,
you protect your family from disastrous results at your death--"
"But I live," said the fool.
"Ah! yes; you mean if you should live long? That is the usual
objection,--a vulgar prejudice. I fully agree that if we had not
foreseen and demolished it we might feel we were unworthy of being--
what? What are we, after all? Book-keepers in the great Bureau of
Intellect. Monsieur, I don't apply these remarks to you, but I meet on
|
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 Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: a regular polygon in a circle, he sent him to a public school, where,
excepting Whitsontide and Christmas, at which times the corporal was
punctually dispatched for him,--he remained to the spring of the year,
seventeen; when the stories of the emperor's sending his army into Hungary
against the Turks, kindling a spark of fire in his bosom, he left his Greek
and Latin without leave, and throwing himself upon his knees before my
uncle Toby, begged his father's sword, and my uncle Toby's leave along with
it, to go and try his fortune under Eugene.--Twice did my uncle Toby forget
his wound and cry out, Le Fever! I will go with thee, and thou shalt fight
beside me--And twice he laid his hand upon his groin, and hung down his
head in sorrow and disconsolation.--
|
