| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Pupil by Henry James: with you."
"Zenobie was very sharp," said Pemberton. "And she made you so."
"Oh that wasn't Zenobie; that was nature. And experience!" Morgan
laughed.
"Well, Zenobie was a part of your experience."
"Certainly I was a part of hers, poor dear!" the boy wisely sighed.
"And I'm part of yours."
"A very important part. But I don't see how you know that I've
been treated like Zenobie."
"Do you take me for the biggest dunce you've known?" Morgan asked.
"Haven't I been conscious of what we've been through together?"
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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 Damnation of Theron Ware by Harold Frederic: and we haven't arrived at the most elementary rules
governing her actions."
They had moved along to a bed of tall plants, the more
forward of which were beginning to show bloom. "Here another
task will begin next month," the doctor observed.
"These are salvias, pentstemons, and antirrhinums,
or snapdragons, planted very thick for the purpose.
Humble-bees bore holes through their base, to save
the labor of climbing in and out of the flowers,
and we don't quite know yet why some hive-bees discover
and utilize these holes at once, while others never do.
The Damnation of Theron Ware |
| 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: yet another treasure, namely, honor and good report [the illustrious
testimony of an upright and unsullied name and reputation], with which
we cannot dispense. For it is intolerable to live among men in open
shame and general contempt. Therefore God wishes the reputation, good
name, and upright character of our neighbor to be taken away or
diminished as little as his money and possessions, that every one may
stand in his integrity before wife, children, servants, and neighbors.
And in the first place, we take the plainest meaning of this
commandment according to the words (Thou shalt not bear false witness),
as pertaining to the public courts of justice, where a poor innocent
man is accused and oppressed by false witnesses in order to be punished
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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 Somebody's Little Girl by Martha Young: ``Or are you a Mama?'' asked Bessie Bell.
``Ah, said the lady; ``I am a Mama, too, but all my little girls
have grown up and left me.''
Bessie Bell wondered how they could have done that, those little
girls. But she saw, and was so glad to see, that this lady was very
wise, and that she understood all the things that little girls
wonder about.
But though there was a difference, a very great difference, between
Mamas and Ladies it was very hard to tell--unless you asked.
One day a large fat lady took Bessie Bell on her lap. That was very
strange to Bessie Bell--to sit on top of anybody.
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