| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Aeroplanes and Dirigibles of War by Frederick A. Talbot: Nieuport, and R.E.P. monoplanes. Those which received official
approval included the Caudron, Henry, and Maurice Farman,
Morane-Saulnier, and Voisin machines.
This drastic order came somewhat as a thunderbolt, and the
reason for the decree has not been satisfactorily revealed.
Suffice to say that in one stroke the efficiency and numerical
strength of the French aerial navy were reduced very appreciably.
For instance, it is stated that there were thirty escadrilles of
Bleriot monoplanes together with pilots at the front, in addition
to thirty mixed escadrilles of the other prohibited types with
their fliers. Moreover a round 33 escadrilles of all the various
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Reason Discourse by Rene Descartes: has been said, I wish it to be considered that the motion which I have now
explained follows as necessarily from the very arrangement of the parts,
which may be observed in the heart by the eye alone, and from the heat
which may be felt with the fingers, and from the nature of the blood as
learned from experience, as does the motion of a clock from the power, the
situation, and shape of its counterweights and wheels.
But if it be asked how it happens that the blood in the veins, flowing in
this way continually into the heart, is not exhausted, and why the
arteries do not become too full, since all the blood which passes through
the heart flows into them, I need only mention in reply what has been
written by a physician 1 of England, who has the honor of having broken
Reason Discourse |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Paz by Honore de Balzac: "Cured! never," said Paz, his eyes lowered and fixed on Clementine's
pretty feet. "You do not know, countess, what charm, what unexpected
piquancy of mind she has." Then, feeling his courage fail him, he
added hastily, "There is not a woman in society, with her mincing
airs, that is worth the honest nature of that young animal."
"At any rate, I wish nothing of the animal about me," said the
countess, with a glance like that of an angry viper.
After that evening Comte Paz showed Clementine the exact state of her
affairs; he made himself her tutor, taught her the methods and
difficulties of the management of property, the proper prices to pay
for things, and how to avoid being cheated by her servants. He told
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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 Fables by Robert Louis Stevenson: returned the Captain gently. "But let us proceed."
In the powder magazine they found an old salt smoking his pipe.
"Good God," cried the Captain, "what are you about?"
"Well, sir," said the old salt, apologetically, "they told me as
she were going down."
"And suppose she were?" said the Captain. "To the philosophic eye,
there would be nothing new in our position. Life, my old shipmate,
life, at any moment and in any view, is as dangerous as a sinking
ship; and yet it is man's handsome fashion to carry umbrellas, to
wear indiarubber over-shoes, to begin vast works, and to conduct
himself in every way as if he might hope to be eternal. And for my
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