| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson: the glimmer of the fire, the party halted to breathe before the
attack.
In the vast silence of the wood, the lightest sounds were audible
from far; and Alicia, who was keen of hearing, held up her finger
warningly and stooped to listen. All followed her example; but
besides the groans of the choked brook in the dingle close behind,
and the barking of a fox at a distance of many miles among the
forest, to Dick's acutest hearkening, not a breath was audible.
"But yet, for sure, I heard the clash of harness," whispered
Alicia.
"Madam," returned Dick, who was more afraid of that young lady than
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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 Augsburg Confession by Philip Melanchthon: friend, to clothe oneself, to build a house, to marry a wife,
to raise cattle, to learn divers useful arts, or whatsoever
good pertains to this life. For all of these things are not
without dependence on the providence of God; yea, of Him and
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
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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 Captain Stormfield by Mark Twain: starve before they will beg - honest square people out of work.
Dick used to watch hungry-looking men and women and children, and
track them home, and find out all about them from the neighbors,
and then feed them and find them work. As nobody ever saw him give
anything to anybody, he had the reputation of being mean; he died
with it, too, and everybody said it was a good riddance; but the
minute he landed here, they made him a baronet, and the very first
words Dick the sausage-maker of Hoboken heard when he stepped upon
the heavenly shore were, 'Welcome, Sir Richard Duffer!' It
surprised him some, because he thought he had reasons to believe he
was pointed for a warmer climate than this one."
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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 Odyssey by Homer: henceforth hold my hands from slaying, ere the wooers had
paid for all their transgressions. And now the choice lies
before you, whether to fight in fair battle or to fly, if
any may avoid death and the fates. But there be some,
methinks, that shall not escape from utter doom.'
He spake, and their knees were straightway loosened and
their hearts melted within them. And Eurymachus spake among
them yet again:
'Friends, it is plain that this man will not hold his
unconquerable hands, but now that he has caught up the
polished bow and quiver, he will shoot from the smooth
The Odyssey |
