| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Youth by Joseph Conrad: for Bankok. At the end of a week we were back again.
The crew said they weren't going to Bankok--a hundred
and fifty days' passage--in a something hooker that
wanted pumping eight hours out of the twenty-four;
and the nautical papers inserted again the little para-
graph: 'Judea. Bark. Tyne to Bankok; coals; put
back to Falmouth leaky and with crew refusing duty.'
"There were more delays--more tinkering. The
owner came down for a day, and said she was as right as
a little fiddle. Poor old Captain Beard looked like the
ghost of a Geordie skipper--through the worry and
Youth |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Collection of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter: she were going to start.
"You can't go in the dark," said
Pigling Bland.
Pig-wig looked anxious.
"Do you know your way by
daylight?"
"I know we can see this little
white house from the hills across
the river. Which way are YOU
going, Mr. Pig?"
"To market--I have two pig
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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 Hated Son by Honore de Balzac: North itself--it was the deep seraphic beauty of the Catholic Church,
supple and rigid, severe but tender.
"Where could one find a prettier duchess?" thought Beauvouloir,
contemplating his daughter with delight. As she stood there slightly
bending, her neck stretched out to watch the flight of a bird past the
windows, he could only compare her to a gazelle pausing to listen for
the ripple of the water where she seeks to drink.
"Come and sit here," said Beauvouloir, tapping his knee and making a
sign to Gabrielle, which told her he had something to whisper to her.
Gabrielle understood him, and came. She placed herself on his knee
with the lightness of a gazelle, and slipped her arm about his neck,
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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 Cavalry General by Xenophon: must not let pass unpunished (unless he wishes the whole of Attica to
become a gigantic camp);[10] keeping his single point steadily in
view, that when he strikes a blow he must be expeditious and retire
before the main body has time to rally to the rescue.
[9] {epimeleia}. Cf. "Cyrop." V. iii. 47.
[10] Lit. "or else the whole of Attica will be one encampment." As at
the date of the fortification of Decelea (413 B.C.), which
permanently commanded the whole country. See Thuc. vii. 27. Al.
Courier, "autrement vous n'avez plus de camp, ou pour mieux dire,
tout le pays devient votre camp."
Again, it frequently happens on the march, that an army will get into
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