| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lesser Hippias by Plato: ancients themselves, namely, the Axiochus, De justo, De virtute, Demodocus,
Sisyphus, Eryxias, which on grounds, both of internal and external
evidence, we are able with equal certainty to reject. But there still
remains a small portion of which we are unable to affirm either that they
are genuine or spurious. They may have been written in youth, or possibly
like the works of some painters, may be partly or wholly the compositions
of pupils; or they may have been the writings of some contemporary
transferred by accident to the more celebrated name of Plato, or of some
Platonist in the next generation who aspired to imitate his master. Not
that on grounds either of language or philosophy we should lightly reject
them. Some difference of style, or inferiority of execution, or
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Rewards and Fairies by Rudyard Kipling: and to bring him to the Hall afterwards. Dad told me he was a
very brave soldier from India - he was Colonel of Dad's Regiment,
the Thirty-third Foot, after Dad left the Army, and then he
changed his name from Wesley to Wellesley, or else the other way
about; and Dad said I was to get out all the silver for him, and I
knew that meant a big dinner. So I sent down to the sea for early
mackerel, and had such a morning in the kitchen and the store-
rooms. Old Amoore nearly cried.
'However, my dear, I made all my preparations in ample time,
but the fish didn't arrive - it never does - and I wanted Rene to
ride to Pevensey and bring it himself. He had gone over to Jerry,
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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 Protagoras by Plato: view again wisdom will be courage.
Nay, Socrates, he replied, you are mistaken in your remembrance of what was
said by me. When you asked me, I certainly did say that the courageous are
the confident; but I was never asked whether the confident are the
courageous; if you had asked me, I should have answered 'Not all of them':
and what I did answer you have not proved to be false, although you
proceeded to show that those who have knowledge are more courageous than
they were before they had knowledge, and more courageous than others who
have no knowledge, and were then led on to think that courage is the same
as wisdom. But in this way of arguing you might come to imagine that
strength is wisdom. You might begin by asking whether the strong are able,
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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 Aesop's Fables by Aesop: wearing, began to follow the Wolf in the Sheep's clothing; so,
leading the Lamb a little apart, he soon made a meal off her, and
for some time he succeeded in deceiving the sheep, and enjoying
hearty meals.
Appearances are deceptive.
The Dog in the Manger
A Dog looking out for its afternoon nap jumped into the Manger
of an Ox and lay there cosily upon the straw. But soon the Ox,
returning from its afternoon work, came up to the Manger and
wanted to eat some of the straw. The Dog in a rage, being
awakened from its slumber, stood up and barked at the Ox, and
Aesop's Fables |
