| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Hellenica by Xenophon: to all the Thessalians to be ready for a campaign at the date of the
Pythian games. His intention, as people said, was to act as manager of
the solemn assembly and games in person. What the thought was that
passed through his mind with reference to the sacred money, remains to
this day uncertain; only, a tale is rife to the effect that in answer
to the inquiry of the Delphians, "What ought we to do, if he takes any
of the treasures of the god?" the god made answer, "He would see to
that himself." This great man, his brain teeming with vast designs of
this high sort, came now to his end. He had ordered a military
inspection. The cavalry of the Pheraeans were to pass muster before
him. He was already seated, delivering answers to all petitioners,
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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 Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg by Mark Twain: So that solution was a failure--he hadn't saved Goodson's soul.
Richards was discouraged. Then after a little came another idea:
had he saved Goodson's property? No, that wouldn't do--he hadn't
any. His life? That is it! Of course. Why, he might have thought
of it before. This time he was on the right track, sure. His
imagination-mill was hard at work in a minute, now.
Thereafter, during a stretch of two exhausting hours, he was busy
saving Goodson's life. He saved it in all kinds of difficult and
perilous ways. In every case he got it saved satisfactorily up to a
certain point; then, just as he was beginning to get well persuaded
that it had really happened, a troublesome detail would turn up
The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen: Joseph W. occasionally did work. The man was shown into the
study, and the little boy was left sitting in the hall, and a
few minutes later, while the gentleman was giving W. his
instructions, they were both horrified by a piercing shriek and
the sound of a fall, and rushing out they found the child lying
senseless on the floor, his face contorted with terror. The
doctor was immediately summoned, and after some examination he
pronounced the child to be suffering form a kind of fit,
apparently produced by a sudden shock. The boy was taken to
one of the bedrooms, and after some time recovered
consciousness, but only to pass into a condition described by
The Great God Pan |
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 Passionate Pilgrim by William Shakespeare: 'T may be, she joy'd to jest at my exile,
'T may be, again to make me wander thither:
'Wander,' a word for shadows like myself,
As take the pain, but cannot pluck the pelf.
XV.
Lord, how mine eyes throw gazes to the east!
My heart doth charge the watch; the morning rise
Doth cite each moving sense from idle rest.
Not daring trust the office of mine eyes,
While Philomela sits and sings, I sit and mark,
And wish her lays were tuned like the lark;
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