| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Boys' Life of Abraham Lincoln by Helen Nicolay: relieved from command, and this ended his military career.
There were others almost equally trying. There was General
Fremont, who had been the Republican candidate for President in
1856. At the beginning of the war he was given a command at St.
Louis and charged with the important duty of organizing the
military strength of the northwest, holding the State of Missouri
true to the Union, and leading an expedition down the Mississippi
River. Instead of accomplishing all that had been hoped for, his
pride of opinion and unwillingness to accept help or take advice
from those about him, caused serious embarrassment and made
unending trouble. The President's kindness and gentleness in
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Ancient Regime by Charles Kingsley: customs, many most sacred institutions which were just as much
founded on reason and natural law, as any theories of their own.
But who shall say that their method was not correct? That it was
not the only method? They appealed to reason. Would you have had
them appeal to unreason? They appealed to natural law. Would you
have had them appeal to unnatural law?--law according to which God
did not make this world? Alas! that had been done too often
already. Solomon saw it done in his time, and called it folly, to
which he prophesied no good end. Rabelais saw it done in his time;
and wrote his chapters on the "Children of Physis and the Children
of Antiphysis." But, born in an evil generation, which was already,
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Goodness of St. Rocque and Other Stories by Alice Dunbar: "Mais non, ma chere," said Ma'am Mouton, sadly, "I can' tell fo'
w'y he no come home soon dese day. Ah me, I feel lak' somet'ing
goin' happen. He so strange."
Even as she spoke a quick nervous step was heard crunching up the
brick walk. Sylves' paused an instant without the kitchen door,
his face turned to the setting sun. He was tall and slim and
agile; a true 'cajan.
"Bon jour, Louisette," he laughed. "Eh, maman!"
"Ah, my son, you are ver' late."
Sylves' frowned, but said nothing. It was a silent supper that
followed. Louisette was sad, Ma'am Mouton sighed now and then,
The Goodness of St. Rocque and Other Stories |
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 Koran: Those who misbelieve, for them is keen torment.
But those who believe and do right, for them is forgiveness and a
great hire.
What! is he whose evil act is made seemly for him, so that he
looks upon it as good,--? Verily, God leads astray whom He pleases and
guides whom He pleases; let not thy soul then be wasted in sighing for
them; verily, God knows what they do!
It is God who sends the winds, and they stir up a cloud, and we
irrigate therewith a dead country, and we quicken therewith the
earth after its death; so shall the resurrection be!
Whosoever desires honour-honour belongs wholely to God; to Him
The Koran |
