| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Father Damien by Robert Louis Stevenson: opposed, are properly the work of Damien. They are the evidence of
his success; they are what his heroism provoked from the reluctant
and the careless. Many were before him in the field; Mr. Meyer,
for instance, of whose faithful work we hear too little: there have
been many since; and some had more worldly wisdom, though none had
more devotion, than our saint. Before his day, even you will
confess, they had effected little. It was his part, by one
striking act of martyrdom, to direct all men's eyes on that
distressful country. At a blow, and with the price of his life, he
made the place illustrious and public. And that, if you will
consider largely, was the one reform needful; pregnant of all that
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from When the World Shook by H. Rider Haggard: my heart a hope that this may be so. Bastin is wont, like many
others, to talk in a light fashion of Eternity without in the
least comprehending what he means by that gigantic term. It is
not too much to say that Eternity, something without beginning
and without end, and involving, it would appear, an everlasting
changelessness, is a state beyond human comprehension. As a
matter of fact we mortals do not think in constellations, so to
speak, or in aeons, but by the measures of our own small earth and
of our few days thereon. We cannot really conceive of an
existence stretching over even one thousand years, such as that
which Oro claimed and the Bible accords to a certain early race
When the World Shook |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen: Catherine found Mrs. Allen just returned from all
the busy idleness of the morning, and was immediately
greeted with, "Well, my dear, here you are," a truth
which she had no greater inclination than power to dispute;
"and I hope you have had a pleasant airing?"
"Yes, ma'am, I thank you; we could not have had
a nicer day."
"So Mrs. Thorpe said; she was vastly pleased
at your all going."
"You have seen Mrs. Thorpe, then?"
"Yes, I went to the pump-room as soon as you were gone,
Northanger Abbey |
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 Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum: rabbit and a lamb. They were not quite so lifelike as the cats had
been, because they were formed from memory, while Blinkie had sat very
still for Claus to look at while he worked.
But the new toys pleased the children nevertheless, and the fame of
Claus' playthings quickly spread to every cottage on plain and in
village. He always carried his gifts to the sick or crippled
children, but those who were strong enough walked to the house in the
Valley to ask for them, so a little path was soon worn from the plain
to the door of the toy-maker's cottage.
First came the children who had been playmates of Claus, before he
began to make toys. These, you may be sure, were well supplied. Then
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus |
