| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Cousin Betty by Honore de Balzac: bonbons and burnt almonds, and chocolate almonds.--Aren't they good?--
I do anything he pleases for a bag of chocolate.--Then my old Daddy is
very kind; he takes such care of me, and is so nice; I know now what
my mother ought to have been.--He is going to get an old woman to help
me, for he doesn't like me to dirty my hands with cooking. For the
past month, too, he has been making a little money, and he gives me
three francs every evening that I put into a money-box. Only he will
never let me out except to come here--and he calls me his little
kitten! Mamma never called me anything but bad names--and thief, and
vermin!"
"Well, then, my child, why should not Daddy Vyder be your husband?"
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Eryxias by Platonic Imitator: prudent pilot or the skilful physician, or the artist of any kind who is
proficient in his art, is more worth than the things which are especially
reckoned among riches; and he who can advise well and prudently for himself
and others is able also to sell the product of his art, if he so desire.
Eryxias looked askance, as if he had received some unfair treatment, and
said, I believe, Socrates, that if you were forced to speak the truth, you
would declare that you were richer than Callias the son of Hipponicus. And
yet, although you claimed to be wiser about things of real importance, you
would not any the more be richer than he.
I dare say, Eryxias, I said, that you may regard these arguments of ours as
a kind of game; you think that they have no relation to facts, but are like
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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 On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin: that these rudimentary or atrophied organs, are imperfect and useless. In
works on natural history rudimentary organs are generally said to have been
created 'for the sake of symmetry,' or in order 'to complete the scheme of
nature;' but this seems to me no explanation, merely a restatement of the
fact. Would it be thought sufficient to say that because planets revolve
in elliptic courses round the sun, satellites follow the same course round
the planets, for the sake of symmetry, and to complete the scheme of
nature? An eminent physiologist accounts for the presence of rudimentary
organs, by supposing that they serve to excrete matter in excess, or
injurious to the system; but can we suppose that the minute papilla, which
often represents the pistil in male flowers, and which is formed merely of
On the Origin of Species |
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 Four Arthurian Romances by Chretien DeTroyes: it alone responsible for their guilt. Some one who is not at
fault is often blamed for another's wrong. Thus, the Queen lays
all the blame and guilt upon the sea, but it is unfair to put the
blame upon the sea, for it is guilty of no misdeed. Soredamors'
deep distress continued until the vessel came to port. As for
the King, it is well known that the Bretons were greatly pleased,
and served him gladly as their liege lord. But of King Arthur I
will not longer speak in this place; rather shall you hear me
tell how Love distresses these two lovers whom he has attacked.
(Vv. 575-872.) Alexander loves and desires her; and she, too,
pines for the love of him, but he knows it not, nor will he know
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