| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, etc. by Oscar Wilde: the Sonnets are addressed to an individual, - to a particular young
man whose personality for some reason seems to have filled the soul
of Shakespeare with terrible joy and no less terrible despair.
'Having in this manner cleared the way as it were, Cyril asked me
to dismiss from my mind any preconceived ideas I might have formed
on the subject, and to give a fair and unbiassed hearing to his own
theory. The problem he pointed out was this: Who was that young
man of Shakespeare's day who, without being of noble birth or even
of noble nature, was addressed by him in terms of such passionate
adoration that we can but wonder at the strange worship, and are
almost afraid to turn the key that unlocks the mystery of the
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Crito by Plato: in other words, a just and honourable life, is alone to be valued. All
considerations of loss of reputation or injury to his children should be
dismissed: the only question is whether he would be right in attempting to
escape. Crito, who is a disinterested person not having the fear of death
before his eyes, shall answer this for him. Before he was condemned they
had often held discussions, in which they agreed that no man should either
do evil, or return evil for evil, or betray the right. Are these
principles to be altered because the circumstances of Socrates are altered?
Crito admits that they remain the same. Then is his escape consistent with
the maintenance of them? To this Crito is unable or unwilling to reply.
Socrates proceeds:--Suppose the Laws of Athens to come and remonstrate with
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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 The Son of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs: fled toward the gates as they saw the horrid horde pouring into
the village street. Kovudoo marshaled his fighting men about
him and, leaping and yelling to arouse their courage, offered a
bristling, spear tipped front to the charging horde.
Korak, as he had led the march, led the charge. The blacks
were struck with horror and dismay at the sight of this white-
skinned youth at the head of a pack of hideous baboons. For an
instant they held their ground, hurling their spears once at the
advancing multitude; but before they could fit arrows to their
bows they wavered, gave, and turned in terrified rout. Into their
ranks, upon their backs, sinking strong fangs into the muscles
The Son of Tarzan |
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 Turn of the Screw by Henry James: Then, after this deliverance, which might have been that of a
vulgarly pert little girl in the street, she hugged Mrs. Grose
more closely and buried in her skirts the dreadful little face.
In this position she produced an almost furious wail.
"Take me away, take me away--oh, take me away from HER!"
"From ME?" I panted.
"From you--from you!" she cried.
Even Mrs. Grose looked across at me dismayed, while I had
nothing to do but communicate again with the figure that,
on the opposite bank, without a movement, as rigidly still
as if catching, beyond the interval, our voices, was as vividly
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