| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner: I called to them in my sleep, for I know I thought of nothing; I was like
an animal. My body was strong and well to work, but my brain was dead. If
you have not felt it, Lyndall, you cannot understand it. You may work, and
work, and work, till you are only a body, not a soul. Now, when I see one
of those evil-looking men that come from Europe--navvies, with the beast-
like, sunken face, different from any Kaffer's--I know what brought that
look into their eyes; and if I have only one inch of tobacco I give them
half. It is work, grinding, mechanical work, that they or their ancestors
have done, that has made them into beasts. You may work a man's body so
that his soul dies. Work is good. I have worked at the old farm from the
sun's rising till its setting, but I have had time to think, and time to
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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 Works of Samuel Johnson by Samuel Johnson: frequently fall into errour and folly, not because
the true principles of action are not known, but
because, for a time, they are not remembered;
and he may therefore be justly numbered among
the benefactors of mankind, who contracts the great
rules of life into short sentences, that may be easily
impressed on the memory, and taught by frequent
recollection to recur habitually to the mind.
However those who have passed through half the
life of man, may now wonder that any should require
to be cautioned against corruption, they will
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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 Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare: Travelling some journey, to repose him here.
[Re-enter SERVANT.]
How now! who is it?
SERVANT.
An it please your honour, players
That offer service to your lordship.
LORD.
Bid them come near.
[Enter PLAYERS.]
Now, fellows, you are welcome.
PLAYERS.
The Taming of the Shrew |
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 Gorgias by Plato: citizens worse? For he gave them pay, and at first he was very popular
with them, but at last they condemned him to death. Yet surely he would be
a bad tamer of animals who, having received them gentle, taught them to
kick and butt, and man is an animal; and Pericles who had the charge of man
only made him wilder, and more savage and unjust, and therefore he could
not have been a good statesman. The same tale might be repeated about
Cimon, Themistocles, Miltiades. But the charioteer who keeps his seat at
first is not thrown out when he gains greater experience and skill. The
inference is, that the statesman of a past age were no better than those of
our own. They may have been cleverer constructors of docks and harbours,
but they did not improve the character of the citizens. I have told you
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