| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Damaged Goods by Upton Sinclair: "Well, you are a great one!" the doctor laughed. "Just now you
were looking for your revolver! Now you want to be married
within the month."
"But, Doctor, it is necessary!"
"But I forbid it."
"As soon as I knew that the disease is not what I imagined, and
that I could be cured, naturally I didn't want to commit suicide.
And as soon as I make up my mind not to commit suicide, I have to
take up my regular life. I have to keep my engagements; I have
to get married."
"No," said the doctor.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Democracy In America, Volume 1 by Alexis de Toqueville: the minute arrangement of details, *t and the perfection of an
ingenious administration, must not be sought for in the United
States; but it will be easy to find, on the other hand, the
symptoms of a power which, if it is somewhat barbarous, is at
least robust; and of an existence which is checkered with
accidents indeed, but cheered at the same time by animation and
effort.
[Footnote t: A writer of talent, who, in the comparison which he
has drawn between the finances of France and those of the United
States, has proved that ingenuity cannot always supply the place
of a knowledge of facts, very justly reproaches the Americans for
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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 The Rig Veda: old,
Shall come to bless and succour us at presentation of this
laud.
5 Now after their desire's intent the pious singers with the
cry
Of Hail! have sung loud hymns to thee, Indra, to gain a stall
of kine.
6 With Indra rest all deeds of might, deeds done and yet to
be
performed,
Whom singers know devoid of guile.
The Rig Veda |
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 Riverman by Stewart Edward White: flats where the river widened below the Big Bend. That would be the
location for the booms of the new company--a cheap property on which
the partners had already secured a valuation. And below he dropped
in imagination with the slackening current until between two greater
sand-hills than the rest the river ran out through the channel made
by two long piers to the lake--blue, restless, immeasurable. To
right and left stretched the long Michigan coast, with its low
yellow hills topped with the green of twisted pines, firs, and
beeches, with always its beach of sand, deep and dry to the very
edge of its tideless sea, strewn with sawlogs, bark, and the ancient
remains of ships.
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