| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Koran: Whatever verse we may annul or cause thee to forget, we will bring a
better one than it, or one like it; dost thou not know that God is
mighty over all? Dost thou not know that God's is the kingdom of the
heavens and the earth? nor have ye besides God a patron or a help.
Do ye wish to question your apostle as Moses was questioned
aforetime? but whoso takes misbelief in exchange for faith has erred
from the level road.
Many of those who have the Book would fain turn you back into
misbelievers after ye have once believed, through envy from
themselves, after the truth has been made manifest to them; but pardon
and shun them till God brings His command; verily, God is mighty
The Koran |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Life in the Iron-Mills by Rebecca Davis: the night, when, for the second time in his life, he entered a
church. It was a sombre Gothic pile, where the stained light
lost itself in far-retreating arches; built to meet the
requirements and sympathies of a far other class than Wolfe's.
Yet it touched, moved him uncontrollably. The distances, the
shadows, the still, marble figures, the mass of silent kneeling
worshippers, the mysterious music, thrilled, lifted his soul
with a wonderful pain. Wolfe forgot himself, forgot the new
life he was going to live, the mean terror gnawing underneath.
The voice of the speaker strengthened the charm; it was clear,
feeling, full, strong. An old man, who had lived much, suffered
Life in the Iron-Mills |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: inflamed men's passions at the time, rendered apt to join in
perilous enterprise. The men of rank and substance were not many
in number; for almost all the large proprietors stood aloof, and
most of the smaller gentry and yeomanry were of the Presbyterian
persuasion, and therefore, however displeased with the Union,
unwilling to engage in a Jacobite conspiracy. But there were
some gentlemen of property, who, either from early principle,
from religious motives, or sharing the ambitious views of
Ellieslaw, had given countenance to his scheme; and there were,
also, some fiery young men, like Mareschal, desirous of
signalizing themselves by engaging in a dangerous enterprise, by
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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 Manon Lescaut by Abbe Prevost: them to solicit from the lieutenant-general of police the
revocation of Manon's sentence. He offered to do everything in
his power to gain over the younger G---- M----, although he
fancied a coldness in that gentleman's manner towards him,
probably from some suspicions he might entertain of his being
concerned in the late affair; and he entreated me to lose no
opportunity of effecting the desired change in my father's mind.
"This was no easy undertaking for me; not only on account of the
difficulty I should naturally meet in overcoming his opinion, but
for another reason which made me fear even to approach him; I had
quitted his lodgings contrary to his express orders, and was
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