| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lost Continent by Edgar Rice Burroughs: landed, we found the same howling wilderness about us that
we had discovered on the British Isle. There was no
slightest indication that civilized man had ever set a foot
upon that portion of the continent of Europe.
Although I had feared as much, since our experience in
England, I could not but own to a feeling of marked
disappointment, and to the gravest fears of the future,
which induced a mental depression that was in no way
dissipated by the continued familiarity between Victory and
Snider.
I was angry with myself that I permitted that matter to
Lost Continent |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain: I 'uz chambermaid on her for eight seasons in de Cincinnati en
Orleans trade. I slid 'long pas'--don't see nobody stirrin' nowhah--
hear 'em a-hammerin' away in de engine room, den I knowed
what de matter was--some o' de machinery's broke. I got asho'
below de boat and turn' de canoe loose, den I goes 'long up, en
dey 'uz jes one plank out, en I step' 'board de boat. It 'uz
pow'ful hot, deckhan's en roustabouts 'uz sprawled aroun' asleep
on de fo'cas'l', de second mate, Jim Bangs, he sot dah on de
bitts wid his head down, asleep--'ca'se dat's de way de second
mate stan' de cap'n's watch!--en de ole watchman, Billy Hatch,
he 'uz a-noddin' on de companionway;--en I knowed 'em all; en, lan',
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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 Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: blessing which tied up my father's tongue, and a misfortune which let it
loose with a good grace, were pretty equal: sometimes, indeed, the
misfortune was the better of the two; for instance, where the pleasure of
the harangue was as ten, and the pain of the misfortune but as five--my
father gained half in half, and consequently was as well again off, as if
it had never befallen him.
This clue will unravel what otherwise would seem very inconsistent in my
father's domestic character; and it is this, that, in the provocations
arising from the neglects and blunders of servants, or other mishaps
unavoidable in a family, his anger, or rather the duration of it, eternally
ran counter to all conjecture.
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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 The Apology by Xenophon: foolhardy."
[6] See "Mem." IV. viii. 4 foll.), a passage of which this is either
an "ebauchement" or a "rechauffe."
[7] Or, "the philosopher's cast of thought."
[8] Dikasteries.
[9] {to daimonion}.
[10] {edein}, i.e. at any moment.
[11] For the phrase {iskhuros agamenos emauton}, cf. "Mem." II. i. 19.
[12] L. Dindorf cf. Dio Chrys. "Or." 28, {anagke gar auto en
probainonti anti men kallistou aiskhrotero gignesthai k.t.l.}
[13] {apoteleisthai}. In "Mem." IV. viii. 8, {epiteleisthai}.
The Apology |
