| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from 1984 by George Orwell: Wherever he may be, asleep or awake, working or resting, in his bath or in
bed, he can be inspected without warning and without knowing that he is
being inspected. Nothing that he does is indifferent. His friendships, his
relaxations, his behaviour towards his wife and children, the expression
of his face when he is alone, the words he mutters in sleep, even the
characteristic movements of his body, are all jealously scrutinized. Not
only any actual misdemeanour, but any eccentricity, however small, any
change of habits, any nervous mannerism that could possibly be the symptom
of an inner struggle, is certain to be detected. He has no freedom of
choice in any direction whatever. On the other hand his actions are not
regulated by law or by any clearly formulated code of behaviour. In Oceania
1984 |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Perfect Wagnerite: A Commentary on the Niblung's Ring by George Bernard Shaw: country life. In order to become a radically healthy human being,
I went two years ago to a Hydropathic Establishment, prepared to
give up Art and everything f I could once more become a child of
Nature. But, my good friend, I was obliged to laugh at my own
naivete when I found myself almost going mad. None of us will
reach the promised land: we shall all die in the wilderness.
Intellect is, as some one has said, a sort of disease: it is
incurable.
Roeckel knew his man of old, and evidently pressed him for
explanations of the inconsistencies of The Ring with Night Falls
On The Gods. Wagner defended himself with unfailing cleverness
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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 Master of the World by Jules Verne: undiscovered.
And now, if the "Terror" had already left the creek, or if she
escaped when we attempted to seize her, in what direction would she
turn? In any case, there was little chance o following her. There
were two torpedo-destroyers at the port of Buffalo, at the other
extremity of Lake Erie. By treaty between the United States and
Canada, there are no vessels of war whatever on the Great Lakes.
These might, however, have been little launches belonging to the
customs service.] Before I left Washington Mr. Ward had informed me
of their presence; and a telegram to their commanders would, if there
were need, start them in pursuit of the "Terror." But despite their
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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 The Firm of Nucingen by Honore de Balzac: coming, and trotting about, for love's sake,--all this, I say, is a
spectacle in the highest degree calculated to rejoice the hearts of
honest people, especially tradespeople. And as nothing pleases folk
better than the marriage of a good-looking young fellow of seven-and-
twenty and a charming girl of nineteen that dances admirably well,
Godefroid in his perplexity over the corbeille asked Mme. de Nucingen
and Rastignac to breakfast with him and advise him on this all-
important point. He hit likewise on the happy idea of asking his
cousin d'Aiglemont and his wife to meet them, as well as Mme. de
Serizy. Women of the world are ready enough to join for once in an
improvised breakfast-party at a bachelor's rooms."
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