| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Symposium by Xenophon: respect. Even as when a splendid object blazes forth at night, the
eyes of men are riveted,[21] so now the beauty of Autolycus drew on
him the gaze of all; nor was there one of those onlookers but was
stirred to his soul's depth by him who sat there.[22] Some fell into
unwonted silence, while the gestures of the rest were equally
significant.
[20] Al. "Autolycus found a seat beside his father, while the rest
reclined on couches in the usual fashion." See Schneider's note.
[21] Passage imitated by Max. Tyr. "Or." xxiv. 4.
[22] Cf. Plat. "Charm." 154.
It seems the look betokening divine possession, no matter who the god,
The Symposium |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Augsburg Confession by Philip Melanchthon: dispense justice to their subjects for the maintenance of
peace.
Moreover, it is disputed whether bishops or pastors have the
right to introduce ceremonies in the Church, and to make laws
concerning meats, holy-days and grades, that is, orders of
ministers, etc. They that give this right to the bishops refer
to this testimony John 16, 12. 13: I have yet many things to
say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He,
the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all
truth. They also refer to the example of the Apostles, who
commanded to abstain from blood and from things strangled,
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Tales of Unrest by Joseph Conrad: sight of the steamer. The fog down by the river was exceedingly dense;
above, at the station, the bell rang unceasing and brazen.
The Director shouted loudly to the steamer:
"There is nobody down to meet us; there may be something wrong, though
they are ringing. You had better come, too!"
And he began to toil up the steep bank. The captain and the
engine-driver of the boat followed behind. As they scrambled up the
fog thinned, and they could see their Director a good way ahead.
Suddenly they saw him start forward, calling to them over his
shoulder:--"Run! Run to the house! I've found one of them. Run, look
for the other!"
Tales of Unrest |
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 Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: carried anything away; and when I came to the justice, and
pleaded there that I had neither broken anything to get in, nor
carried anything out, the justice was inclined to have released
me; but the first saucy jade that stopped me, affirming that I
was going out with the goods, but that she stopped me and
pulled me back as I was upon the threshold, the justice upon
that point committed me, and I was carried to Newgate. That
horrid place! my very blood chills at the mention of its name;
the place where so many of my comrades had been locked up,
and from whence they went to the fatal tree; the place where
my mother suffered so deeply, where I was brought into the
Moll Flanders |
