| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Agesilaus by Xenophon: Agesilaus formed a cordon of troops, round the property of friends and
foes alike, and so encamped.
Presently hearing that the enemy were in a state of disorder, the
result of every one holding his fellow responsible for what had
happened, he advanced without further stay on Sardis. Having arrived,
he fell to burning and ravaging the suburbs, while at the same time he
did not fail to make it known by proclamation that those who asked for
freedom should join his standard; or if there were any who claimed a
right of property in Asia he challenged them to come out and meet her
liberators in fair fight and let the sword decide between them.
Finding that no one ventured to come out to meet him, his march became
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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 Unseen World and Other Essays by John Fiske: as the typical Greek community, for nowhere else was physical
development so entirely made the great end of social life. In
these matters Sparta was always regarded by the other cities as
taking the lead,--as having attained the ideal after which all
alike were striving. Now Sparta, situated in the midst of a
numerous conquered population of Messenians and Helots, was
partly a great gymnasium and partly a perpetual camp. Her
citizens were always in training. The entire social constitution
of Sparta was shaped with a view to the breeding and bringing up
of a strong and beautiful race. Feeble or ill-formed infants were
put to death. The age at which citizens might marry was
The Unseen World and Other Essays |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Maid Marian by Thomas Love Peacock: to the latest days, as the flower of their age and of England:
for in the pure principles of freebootery have they excelled all men;
and to the principles of freebootery, diversely developed, belong all
the qualities to which song and story concede renown."
"And you may add, friar," said Marian, "that Robin, no less than Richard,
is king in his own dominion; and that if his subjects be fewer, yet are they
more uniformly loyal."
"I would, fair lady," said the stranger, "that thy latter observation were not
so true. But I nothing doubt, Robin, that if Richard could hear your friar,
and see you and your lady, as I now do, there is not a man in England whom
he would take by the hand more cordially than yourself."
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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 Weir of Hermiston by Robert Louis Stevenson: Yes, with delight. TIGRIS UT ASPERA."
"Perhaps not a pleasant spectacle," said Glenalmond. "And yet, do you
know, I think somehow a great one."
"I've had a long talk with him to-night," said Archie.
"I was supposing so," said Glenalmond.
"And he struck me - I cannot deny that he struck me as something very
big," pursued the son. "Yes, he is big. He never spoke about himself;
only about me. I suppose I admired him. The dreadful part - "
"Suppose we did not talk about that," interrupted Glenalmond. "You know
it very well, it cannot in any way help that you should brood upon it,
and I sometimes wonder whether you and I - who are a pair of
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