| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Statesman by Plato: power, will not permit them to train men in what will produce characters
unsuited to the political constitution which she desires to create, but
only in what will produce such as are suitable. Those which have no share
of manliness and temperance, or any other virtuous inclination, and, from
the necessity of an evil nature, are violently carried away to godlessness
and insolence and injustice, she gets rid of by death and exile, and
punishes them with the greatest of disgraces.
YOUNG SOCRATES: That is commonly said.
STRANGER: But those who are wallowing in ignorance and baseness she bows
under the yoke of slavery.
YOUNG SOCRATES: Quite right.
Statesman |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Twilight Land by Howard Pyle: find the fruit of happiness?"
"You ask a great thing of me," said the other; "nevertheless,
since you do ask it, it is not for me to refuse, though I may
tell you that many a man has sought for that fruit, and few
indeed have found it. But if I guide you to the garden where the
fruit grows, there is one condition you must fulfil: many strange
things will happen upon our journey between here and there, but
concerning all you see you must ask not a question and say not a
word. Do you agree to that?"
"Yes," said the servant, "I do."
"Very well, said his new comrade; "then let us be jogging, for I
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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 When a Man Marries by Mary Roberts Rinehart: locked the door carefully when I went down to my dinner, and when
I came up it--it was unlocked, and Jim was babbling on the bed,
with a sheet over his face. He--he says the house is haunted and
he wants all the men to come up and sit in the room with him."
"Not on your life," Max said. "I am young, and my career has only
begun. I don't intend to be cut off in the flower of my youth.
But I'll tell you what I will do; I'll take him a drink. I can
tie it to a pole or something."
But Mr. Harbison did not smile. He was thoughtful for a minute.
Then:
"I don't believe he is delirious," he said quietly, "and I
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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 Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: "But what am I to do, good God!" cried Celeste, wringing her hands.
"I should answer, without hesitation, sacrifice yourself,
mademoiselle, if it were not that I should then be forced to play the
painful part of victimizer."
"Monsieur," said Celeste, "you interpret ill the resistance that I
have made, though, in fact, I have scarcely expressed it. I have
certainly had a preference, but I have never considered myself in the
light of a victim; and whatever it is necessary to do to restore peace
in this house to which I have brought trouble, I shall do it without
repugnance, and even willingly."
"That would be for me," said la Peyrade, humbly, "more than I could
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