| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Parmenides by Plato: Quite true.
Then the one which is other than others, and the other which is other than
the one, in that the word 'other' is applied to both, will be in the same
condition; and that which is in the same condition is like?
Yes.
Then in virtue of the affection by which the one is other than the others,
every thing will be like every thing, for every thing is other than every
thing.
True.
Again, the like is opposed to the unlike?
Yes.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Bunner Sisters by Edith Wharton: She stood motionless on the door-step, dazed by the immensity
of her disappointment, till a burst of loud voices inside the house
drove her down the path and out of the gate.
Even then she could not grasp what had happened, and pausing
in the road she looked back at the house, half hoping that Mrs.
Hochmuller's once detested face might appear at one of the grimy
windows.
She was roused by an icy wind that seemed to spring up
suddenly from the desolate scene, piercing her thin dress like
gauze; and turning away she began to retrace her steps. She
thought of enquiring for Mrs. Hochmuller at some of the
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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 The Talisman by Walter Scott: token of reconciliation, and then proceeded.
"You think, my sweet cousin, that my anger in this matter was
feigned; but you are deceived. The punishment I inflicted upon
this knight was just; for he had betrayed--no matter for how
tempting a bribe, fair cousin--the trust committed to him. But I
rejoice, perchance as much as you, that to-morrow gives him a
chance to win the field, and throw back the stain which for a
time clung to him upon the actual thief and traitor. No!--future
times may blame Richard for impetuous folly, but they shall say
that in rendering judgment he was just when he should and
merciful when he could."
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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 School For Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan: for indicating stage-directions and abbreviations of the names of
characters. There can be no gain to the reader in reproducing,
for example, Sheridan's different indications for the part of
Lady Sneerwell--LADY SNEERWELL, LADY SNEER., LADY SN., and LADY S.--
or his varying use of EXIT and EX., or his inconsistencies in
the use of italics in the stage-directions. Since, however,
Sheridan's biographers, from Moore to Fraser Rae, have shown that
no authorised or correct edition of THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL was
published in Sheridan's lifetime, there seems unusual justification
for reproducing the text of the play itself with absolute fidelity
to the original manuscript. Mr. Ridgway, who repeatedly sought to
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