| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Tanach: Jeremiah 21: 3 Then said Jeremiah unto them: Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah:
Jeremiah 21: 4 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, that besiege you without the walls, and I will gather them into the midst of this city.
Jeremiah 21: 5 And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.
Jeremiah 21: 6 And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they shall die of a great pestilence.
Jeremiah 21: 7 And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life; and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have compassion.
Jeremiah 21: 8 And unto this people thou shalt say: Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Jeremiah 21: 9 He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he that goeth out, and falleth away to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.
The Tanach |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton by Edith Wharton: The Count interpreted these words, and Donna Polixena's father,
dashing his hand on his hilt, broke into furious invective, while
the Marquess continued to nurse his outraged feelings aloof.
The Count shook his head funereally. "Alas, sir, it is as I
feared. This is not the first time that youth and propinquity
have led to fatal imprudence. But I need hardly, I suppose,
point out the obligation incumbent upon you as a man of honour."
Tony stared at him haughtily, with a look which was meant for the
Marquess. "And what obligation is that?"
"To repair the wrong you have done--in other words, to marry the
lady."
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum: sailor.
"Not so," insisted the Ork. "I have found, on my
travels, that the most pleasant countries often lie in
the midst of deserts; so I think it would be wise for us
to fly over this desert and discover what lies beyond it.
For in the direction we came from lies the ocean, as we
well know, and beyond here is this strange Land of Mo,
which we do not care to explore. On one side, as we can
see from this mountain, is a broad expanse of plain, and
on the other the desert. For my part, I vote for the
desert."
The Scarecrow of Oz |
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 Trooper Peter Halket of Mashonaland by Olive Schreiner: Peter Halket threw two more logs on the fire. "Do you know," he said,
"I've been wondering ever since you came, who it was you reminded me of.
It's my mother! You're not like her in the face, but when your eyes look
at me it seems to me as if it was she looking at me. Curious, isn't it? I
don't know you from Adam, and you've hardly spoken a word since you came;
and yet I seem as if I'd known you all my life." Peter moved a little
nearer him. "I was awfully afraid of you when you first came; even when I
first saw you;--you aren't dressed as most of us dress, you know. But the
minute the fire shone on your face I said, 'It's all right.' Curious,
isn't it?" said Peter. "I don't know you from Adam, but if you were to
take up my gun and point it at me, I wouldn't move! I'd lie down here and
|
