| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Human Drift by Jack London: belaying pins. Once, and once only, were men flogged or ironed--a
very fair average for the year 1834, for at that time flogging on
board merchant vessels was already well on the decline.
The difference between the sea-life then and now can be no better
epitomised than in Dana's description of the dress of the sailor
of his day:
"The trousers tight around the hips, and thence hanging long and
loose around the feet, a superabundance of checked shirt, a low-
crowned, well-varnished black hat, worn on the back of the head,
with half a fathom of black ribbon hanging over the left eye, and
a peculiar tie to the black silk neckerchief."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from An Old Maid by Honore de Balzac: it. If Moreau won't engage to do this, then I must put Monsieur de
Troisville in the green room, although Monsieur de Troisville would be
so very near to me."
Josette was departing when her mistress recalled her.
"Stop! explain the matter to Jacquelin," she cried, in a loud nervous
tone. "Tell HIM to go to Moreau; I must be dressed! Fancy if Monsieur
de Troisville surprised me as I am now! and my uncle not here to
receive him! Oh, uncle, uncle! Come, Josette; come and dress me at
once."
"But Penelope?" said Josette, imprudently.
"Always Penelope! Penelope this, Penelope that! Is Penelope the
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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 Euthydemus by Plato: He nodded assent.
Then those who learn are of the class of those who acquire, and not of
those who have?
He agreed.
Then, Cleinias, he said, those who do not know learn, and not those who
know.
Euthydemus was proceeding to give the youth a third fall; but I knew that
he was in deep water, and therefore, as I wanted to give him a respite lest
he should be disheartened, I said to him consolingly: You must not be
surprised, Cleinias, at the singularity of their mode of speech: this I
say because you may not understand what the two strangers are doing with
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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 Confidence by Henry James: Suddenly he put his hand to his heart; it was beating very fast.
An immense conviction had come over him--abruptly, then and there--
and for a moment he held his breath. It was like a word spoken
in the darkness--he held his breath to listen. He was in love
with Angela Vivian, and his love was a throbbing passion!
He sat down on the stones where he stood--it filled him with a kind of
awe.
CHAPTER XXI
It filled him with a kind of awe, and the feeling was by no
means agreeable. It was not a feeling to which even a man
of Bernard Longueville's easy power of extracting the savour
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