| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Europeans by Henry James: "But, as I understand it, Madame Munster is a married woman."
"Ah," said Felix, smiling, "of course she can't marry him.
But she will do what she can."
Mr. Wentworth sat for some time with his eyes on the floor;
at last he got up. "I don't think," he said, "that I can
undertake to recommend my son any such course." And without
meeting Felix's surprised glance he broke off his sitting,
which was not resumed for a fortnight.
Felix was very fond of the little lake which occupied so many
of Mr. Wentworth's numerous acres, and of a remarkable pine
grove which lay upon the further side of it, planted upon
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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 Tanach: Daniel 10: 7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision; for the men that were with me saw not the vision; howbeit a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves.
Daniel 10: 8 So that I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me; for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.
Daniel 10: 9 Yet heard I the voice of his words; and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I fallen into a deep sleep on my face, with my face toward the ground.
Daniel 10: 10 And, behold, a hand touched me, which set me tottering upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
Daniel 10: 11 And he said unto me: 'O Daniel, thou man greatly beloved, give heed unto the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright; for now am I sent unto thee'; and when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.
Daniel 10: 12 Then said he unto me: 'Fear not, Daniel; for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand, and to humble thyself before thy God, thy words were heard; and I am come because of thy words.
Daniel 10: 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days; but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I was left over there beside the kings of Persia.
Daniel 10: 14 Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the end of days; for there is yet a vision for the days.'
The Tanach |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Princess by Alfred Tennyson: And some that men were in the very walls,
And some they cared not; till a clamour grew
As of a new-world Babel, woman-built,
And worse-confounded: high above them stood
The placid marble Muses, looking peace.
Not peace she looked, the Head: but rising up
Robed in the long night of her deep hair, so
To the open window moved, remaining there
Fixt like a beacon-tower above the waves
Of tempest, when the crimson-rolling eye
Glares ruin, and the wild birds on the light
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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 Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: injury; with mine own hands will I quickly tear out thy heart and
thy tongue, and throw them with the residue of thy carcase to be
meat for the dogs, that others may be lessoned by thee not to
cozen the sons of kings."
When Nachor heard these words, he was exceeding sorrowful and
downcast, seeing himself falling into the destruction that he had
made for other, and being drawn into the net that he had laid
privily, and feeling the sword entering into his own soul. So he
took counsel with himself, and determined rather to take the side
of the king's son, and make it to prevail, that he might avoid
the danger hanging over him, because the prince was doubtless
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