| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Ion by Plato: ION: I can interpret them equally well, Socrates, where they agree.
SOCRATES: But what about matters in which they do not agree?--for example,
about divination, of which both Homer and Hesiod have something to say,--
ION: Very true:
SOCRATES: Would you or a good prophet be a better interpreter of what
these two poets say about divination, not only when they agree, but when
they disagree?
ION: A prophet.
SOCRATES: And if you were a prophet, would you not be able to interpret
them when they disagree as well as when they agree?
ION: Clearly.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tarzan the Untamed by Edgar Rice Burroughs: eyes
narrowed cunningly and turning toward the soldiery he issued
an order which resulted in their all preceding him through the
small doorway and up a flight of stairs a short distance beyond.
The stairway and the corridor above were lighted by small
flares which revealed several doors in the walls of the upper
passageway. To one of these the men led the prince. Bertha
Kircher saw them knock upon the door and heard a voice reply
faintly through the thick door to the summons. The effect
upon those about her was electrical. Instantly excitement
reigned, and in response to orders from the king's son the
Tarzan the Untamed |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley: that you are no worse than some of your elders. So now for the
exquisite shapes and glorious colours. I have never seen them;
though I trust to see them ere I die. So what they are like I can
only tell from what I have learnt from Mr. Darwin, and Mr.
Wallace, and Mr. Jukes, and Mr. Gosse, and last, but not least,
from one whose soul was as beautiful as his face, Lucas Barrett,--
too soon lost to science,--who was drowned in exploring such a
coral-reef as this stone was once.
Then there are such things alive now?
Yes, and no. The descendants of most of them live on, altered by
time, which alters all things; and from the beauty of the children
|
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 Mirror of the Sea by Joseph Conrad: looked at our faces in a solemnly conscious silence, which called
upon us to share in his simple-minded, marvelling awe. All at once
he sat down by my side, and leaned forward earnestly at my boat's
crew, who, swinging together in a long, easy stroke, kept their
eyes fixed upon him faithfully.
"No ship could have done so well," he addressed them firmly, after
a moment of strained silence, during which he seemed with trembling
lips to seek for words fit to bear such high testimony. "She was
small, but she was good. I had no anxiety. She was strong. Last
voyage I had my wife and two children in her. No other ship could
have stood so long the weather she had to live through for days and
The Mirror of the Sea |
