| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Augsburg Confession by Philip Melanchthon: through Him they are and have their being. "Evil" I call such
works as willing to worship an idol, to commit murder, etc.
They condemn the Pelagians and others, who teach that without
the Holy Ghost, by the power of nature alone, we are able to
love God above all things; also to do the commandments of God
as touching "the substance of the act." For, although nature
is able in a manner to do the outward work, (for it is able to
keep the hands from theft and murder,) yet it cannot produce
the inward motions, such as the fear of God, trust in God,
chastity, patience, etc.
Article XIX: Of the Cause of Sin.
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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 Lily of the Valley by Honore de Balzac: I was all ears when he told of his seed-fields and nurseries. New to
country life, I besieged him with questions about prices, means of
preparing and working the soil, etc., and he seemed glad to answer all
in detail.
"What in the world do they teach you in your colleges?" he exclaimed
at last in astonishment.
On this first day the count said to his wife when he reached home,
"Monsieur Felix is a charming young man."
That evening I wrote to my mother and asked her to send my clothes and
linen, saying that I should remain at Frapesle. Ignorant of the great
revolution which was just taking place, and not perceiving the
The Lily of the Valley |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad: which I had thrown over a rail to dry after having been wetted
in a shower which had passed over the ship in the afternoon.
Sitting stolidly at the head of the table I became terrified at
the sight of the garment on his arm. Of course he made for my door.
There was no time to lose.
"Steward," I thundered. My nerves were so shaken that I
could not govern my voice and conceal my agitation.
This was the sort of thing that made my terrifically
whiskered mate tap his forehead with his forefinger.
I had detected him using that gesture while talking on deck
with a confidential air to the carpenter. It was too far
The Secret Sharer |
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 Whirligigs by O. Henry: side.
In came Mrs. Widdup. She was comely to the eye,
fair, flustered, forty and foxy.
"Higgins is out, sir," she said, with a smile suggestive
of vibratory massage. "He went to post a letter. Can
I do anything for you, sir?"
"It's time for my aconite," said old Mr. Coulson.
"Drop it for me. The bottle's there. Three drops.
In water. D -- that is, confound Higgins! There's
nobody in this house cares if I die here in this chair for
want of attention."
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