| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from God The Invisible King by H. G. Wells: Here, as in the case of Professor Metchnikoff, and in many other
cases of atheism, it seems to me that nothing but an inadequate
understanding of individuation bars the way to at least the
intellectual recognition of the true God.
6. RELIGION AS ETHICS
And while I am dealing with rationalists, let me note certain recent
interesting utterances of Sir Harry Johnston's. You will note that
while in this book we use the word "God" to indicate the God of the
Heart, Sir Harry uses "God" for that idea of God-of-the-Universe,
which we have spoken of as the Infinite Being. This use of the word
"God" is of late theological origin; the original identity of the
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Drama on the Seashore by Honore de Balzac: galloping through worlds, suiting them to my fancy. Presently, as I
looked about me to find some omen for the bold productions my wild
imagination was urging me to undertake, a pretty cry, the cry of a
woman issuing refreshed and joyous from a bath, rose above the murmur
of the rippling fringes as their flux and reflux marked a white line
along the shore. Hearing that note as it gushed from a soul, I fancied
I saw among the rocks the foot of an angel, who with outspread wings
cried out to me, "Thou shalt succeed!" I came down radiant, light-
hearted; I bounded like a pebble rolling down a rapid slope. When she
saw me, she said,--
"What is it?"
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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 Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy: distance, as well as the remainder of the journey, was to be
traversed by road in the old fashion. People thus waited--
the county families in their carriages, the masses on foot--
and watched the far-stretching London highway to the ringing
of bells and chatter of tongues.
From the background Elizabeth-Jane watched the scene. Some
seats had been arranged from which ladies could witness the
spectacle, and the front seat was occupied by Lucetta, the
Mayor's wife, just at present. In the road under her eyes
stood Henchard. She appeared so bright and pretty that, as
it seemed, he was experiencing the momentary weakness of
The Mayor of Casterbridge |
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 Tales of the Klondyke by Jack London: thrust the soul from a living man's body,--there's the blood red
on your sleeve,--and, like a second Cain, the hand of all mankind
is against you, and there is no place you may lay your head. Now,
I have a shack--"
"For the love of your mother, hold your say, man," interrupted
Fortune La Pearle, "or I'll make you a second Abel for the joy of
it. So help me, I will! With a thousand men to lay me by the
heels, looking high and low, what do I want with your shack? I
want to get out of here--away! away! away! Cursed swine! I've
half a mind to go back and run amuck, and settle for a few of
them, the pigs! One gorgeous, glorious fight, and end the whole
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