| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Alcibiades II by Platonic Imitator: prayers), although, unlike him, they were not in anger nor thought that
they were asking evil. He neither sought, nor supposed that he sought for
good, but others have had quite the contrary notion. I believe that if the
God whom you are about to consult should appear to you, and, in
anticipation of your request, enquired whether you would be contented to
become tyrant of Athens, and if this seemed in your eyes a small and mean
thing, should add to it the dominion of all Hellas; and seeing that even
then you would not be satisfied unless you were ruler of the whole of
Europe, should promise, not only that, but, if you so desired, should
proclaim to all mankind in one and the same day that Alcibiades, son of
Cleinias, was tyrant:--in such a case, I imagine, you would depart full of
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Enchanted Island of Yew by L. Frank Baum: time with pleased astonishment; and then, his sensitive nature being
overcome by the shock of his good fortune, he burst into a flood of
tears and rushed from the room.
The courtiers and ladies now bestowed many grateful thanks upon Prince
Marvel for his kind deed; for they realized that thereafter their
lives would be safer from the king's anger and much pleasanter in
every way.
"Terribus is not bad by nature," said one; "but he brooded upon his
ugliness so much that the least thing served to throw him into a violent
passion, and our lives were never safe from one day to another."
By and by two giants entered the hall and carried away the throne of
The Enchanted Island of Yew |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Soul of Man by Oscar Wilde: government are failures. Despotism is unjust to everybody,
including the despot, who was probably made for better things.
Oligarchies are unjust to the many, and ochlocracies are unjust to
the few. High hopes were once formed of democracy; but democracy
means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the
people. It has been found out. I must say that it was high time,
for all authority is quite degrading. It degrades those who
exercise it, and degrades those over whom it is exercised. When it
is violently, grossly, and cruelly used, it produces a good effect,
by creating, or at any rate bringing out, the spirit of revolt and
Individualism that is to kill it. When it is used with a certain
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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 Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare: she has as many diseases as two-and-fifty horses: why, nothing
comes amiss, so money comes withal.
HORTENSIO.
Petruchio, since we are stepp'd thus far in,
I will continue that I broach'd in jest.
I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife
With wealth enough, and young and beauteous;
Brought up as best becomes a gentlewoman:
Her only fault,--and that is faults enough,--
Is, that she is intolerable curst
And shrewd and froward, so beyond all measure,
The Taming of the Shrew |
