| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Crito by Plato: 'common principle,' there is no escaping from the conclusion. It is
anticipated at the beginning by the dream of Socrates and the parody of
Homer. The personification of the Laws, and of their brethren the Laws in
the world below, is one of the noblest and boldest figures of speech which
occur in Plato.
CRITO
by
Plato
Translated by Benjamin Jowett
PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: Socrates, Crito.
SCENE: The Prison of Socrates.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Phantasmagoria and Other Poems by Lewis Carroll: "And, though we don't consult 'Mine Host'
Before the thing's arranged,
Still, if he often quits his post,
Or is not a well-mannered Ghost,
Then you can have him changed.
"But if the host's a man like you -
I mean a man of sense;
And if the house is not too new - "
"Why, what has THAT," said I, "to do
With Ghost's convenience?"
"A new house does not suit, you know -
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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 A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: the fanfare of a trumpet, whilk is but a sound, or in the flap of
a white flag, whilk is but an old rag in itself, but in the
confidence reposed by the party sending, and the party sent, in
the honour of those to whom the message is to be carried, and
their full reliance that they will respect the JUS GENTIUM, as
weel as the law of arms, in the person of the commissionate."
"You are not come hither to lecture us upon the law of arms,
sir," said the Marquis, "which neither does nor can apply to
rebels and insurgents; but to suffer the penalty of your
insolence and folly for bringing a traitorous message to the Lord
Justice General of Scotland, whose duty calls upon him to punish
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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 Woman and Labour by Olive Schreiner: feet; it is a barn-door fowl; should you let it loose it will scratch and
cackle with the others on the dung-heap." But a third speculated, "Look
now at its curved beak; no doubt it is a parrot, and can crack nuts!" But
a fourth said, "No, but look at its wings; perhaps it is a bird of great
flight." But several cried, "Nonsense! No one has ever seen it fly! Why
should it fly? Can you suppose that a thing can do a thing which no one
has ever seen it do?" And the bird--the bird--with its leg chained close
to the log, preened its wing. So they sat about it, speculating, and
discussing it: and one said this, and another that. And all the while as
they talked the bird sat motionless, with its gaze fixed on the clear, blue
sky above it. And one said, "Suppose we let the creature loose to see what
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