| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from King James Bible: ISA 10:4 Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they
shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away,
but his hand is stretched out still.
ISA 10:5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand
is mine indignation.
ISA 10:6 I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against
the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and
to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
ISA 10:7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so;
but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
ISA 10:8 For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?
King James Bible |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle: really, it would be difficult to suggest a better. The method was
no doubt suggested to Clay's ingenious mind by the color of his
accomplice's hair. The 4 pounds a week was a lure which must draw
him, and what was it to them, who were playing for thousands?
They put in the advertisement, one rogue has the temporary
office, the other rogue incites the man to apply for it. and
together they manage to secure his absence every morning in the
week. From the time that I heard of the assistant having come for
half wages, it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive
for securing the situation."
"But how could you guess what the motive was?"
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: the Word of God is preached, accepted, or believed, and produces fruit,
there the holy cross cannot be wanting. And let no one think that he
shall have peace; but he must risk what whatever he has upon earth --
possessions, honor. house and estate, wife and children, body and life.
Now, this hurts our flesh and the old Adam; for the test is to be
steadfast and to suffer with patience in whatever way we are assailed,
and to let go whatever is taken from us.
Hence there is just as great need, as in all the others, that we pray
without ceasing: "Dear Father, Thy will be done, not the will of the
devil and of our enemies, nor of anything that would persecute and
suppress Thy holy Word or hinder Thy kingdom; and grant that we may
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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 Edingburgh Picturesque Notes by Robert Louis Stevenson: curious for whom the gallery was found too narrow.
Towards afternoon, if the prisoner is unpopular, there
will be a round of hisses when he is brought forth. Once
in a while, too, an advocate in wig and gown, hand upon
mouth, full of pregnant nods, sweeps to and fro in the
arcade listening to an agent; and at certain regular
hours a whole tide of lawyers hurries across the space.
The Parliament Close has been the scene of marking
incidents in Scottish history. Thus, when the Bishops
were ejected from the Convention in 1688, 'all fourteen
of them gathered together with pale faces and stood in a
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