| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Ancient Regime by Charles Kingsley: like all social causes, was not a political nor a physical, but a
moral cause. The profligacy of the French and Italian
aristocracies, in the sixteenth century, avenged itself on them by a
curse (derived from the newly-discovered America) from which they
never recovered. The Spanish aristocracy suffered, I doubt not very
severely. The English and German, owing to the superior homeliness
and purity of ruling their lives, hardly at all. But the
continental caste, instead of recruiting their tainted blood by
healthy blood from below, did all, under pretence of keeping it
pure, to keep it tainted by continual intermarriage; and paid, in
increasing weakness of body and mind, the penalty of their exclusive
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Collected Articles by Frederick Douglass: Learning that my trade was that of a calker, he promptly decided
that the best place for me was in New Bedford, Mass.
He told me that many ships for whaling voyages were fitted out there,
and that I might there find work at my trade and make a good living.
So, on the day of the marriage ceremony, we took our little luggage
to the steamer John W. Richmond, which, at that time, was one of the line
running between New York and Newport, R. I. Forty-three years ago
colored travelers were not permitted in the cabin, nor allowed abaft
the paddle-wheels of a steam vessel. They were compelled,
whatever the weather might be,--whether cold or hot, wet or dry,--
to spend the night on deck. Unjust as this regulation was,
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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 Black Beauty by Anna Sewell: he knew it was only high spirits. Still, he had his own ways
of making me understand by the tone of his voice or the touch of the rein.
If he was very serious and quite determined, I always knew it by his voice,
and that had more power with me than anything else,
for I was very fond of him.
I ought to say that sometimes we had our liberty for a few hours;
this used to be on fine Sundays in the summer-time.
The carriage never went out on Sundays, because the church was not far off.
It was a great treat to us to be turned out into the home paddock
or the old orchard; the grass was so cool and soft to our feet,
the air so sweet, and the freedom to do as we liked was so pleasant --
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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 Damaged Goods by Upton Sinclair: "Ah!" whispered George. For nearly a minute neither one of them
spoke. "Why?" he inquired at last.
"Because--he--the nurse's doctor--had frightened me so--"
"Truly?"
"Yes. It is a disease--" again she stopped.
George cried, in a voice of agony, "and then?"
"Then I asked him if the matter was so grave that I could not be
satisfied with our ordinary doctor."
"And what did he answer?"
"He said that if we had the means it would really be better to
consult a specialist."
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