| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Meno by Plato: is a tradition of the olden time, to which priests and poets bear witness.
The souls of men returning to earth bring back a latent memory of ideas,
which were known to them in a former state. The recollection is awakened
into life and consciousness by the sight of the things which resemble them
on earth. The soul evidently possesses such innate ideas before she has
had time to acquire them. This is proved by an experiment tried on one of
Meno's slaves, from whom Socrates elicits truths of arithmetic and
geometry, which he had never learned in this world. He must therefore have
brought them with him from another.
The notion of a previous state of existence is found in the verses of
Empedocles and in the fragments of Heracleitus. It was the natural answer
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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 Europeans by Henry James: the Baroness continued, addressing herself to Mr. Wentworth.
"I am convinced they are more delicate. There are very good ones
in England--in Holland; but they are very apt to be coarse.
There is too much red."
"I think you will find," said Mr. Wentworth, "that this
country is superior in many respects to those you mention.
I have been to England and Holland."
"Ah, you have been to Europe?" cried the Baroness. "Why did n't you
come and see me? But it 's better, after all, this way," she said.
They were entering the house; she paused and looked round her.
"I see you have arranged your house--your beautiful house--in the--
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