| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Grimm's Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm: Give me a fine fat goose.'
As he came to the next village, he saw a scissor-grinder with his
wheel, working and singing,
'O'er hill and o'er dale
So happy I roam,
Work light and live well,
All the world is my home;
Then who so blythe, so merry as I?'
Hans stood looking on for a while, and at last said, 'You must be well
off, master grinder! you seem so happy at your work.' 'Yes,' said the
other, 'mine is a golden trade; a good grinder never puts his hand
Grimm's Fairy Tales |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli: CHAPTER XXI
HOW A PRINCE SHOULD CONDUCT HIMSELF SO AS TO GAIN RENOWN
Nothing makes a prince so much esteemed as great enterprises and
setting a fine example. We have in our time Ferdinand of Aragon, the
present King of Spain. He can almost be called a new prince, because
he has risen, by fame and glory, from being an insignificant king to
be the foremost king in Christendom; and if you will consider his
deeds you will find them all great and some of them extraordinary. In
the beginning of his reign he attacked Granada, and this enterprise
was the foundation of his dominions. He did this quietly at first and
without any fear of hindrance, for he held the minds of the barons of
The Prince |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum: There sat the Red Ryl, the Black Ryl, the Green Ryl, the Blue Ryl and
the Yellow Ryl in a circle on the floor, while Claus whittled and
whistled and the wooden cat grew into shape.
"If it could be made the same color as the real cat, no one would know
the difference," said the Yellow Ryl, thoughtfully.
"The little ones, maybe, would not know the difference," replied
Claus, pleased with the idea.
"I will bring you some of the red that I color my roses and tulips
with," cried the Red Ryl; "and then you can make the cat's lips and
tongue red."
"I will bring some of the green that I color my grasses and leaves with,"
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus |
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 Ancient Regime by Charles Kingsley: which they had heretofore been, from that which they sought to
become hereafter. But he had long thought that they had succeeded
in this singular attempt much less than was supposed abroad; and
less than they had at first supposed themselves. He was convinced
that they had unconsciously retained, from the former state of
society, most of the sentiments, the habits, and even the opinions,
by means of which they had effected the destruction of that state of
things; and that, without intending it, they had used its remains to
rebuild the edifice of modern society. This is his thesis, and this
he proves, it seems to me, incontestably by documentary evidence.
Not only does he find habits which we suppose--or supposed till
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