| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Symposium by Plato: cause of this and of the other mysteries of love.' 'Marvel not,' she said,
'if you believe that love is of the immortal, as we have several times
acknowledged; for here again, and on the same principle too, the mortal
nature is seeking as far as is possible to be everlasting and immortal:
and this is only to be attained by generation, because generation always
leaves behind a new existence in the place of the old. Nay even in the
life of the same individual there is succession and not absolute unity: a
man is called the same, and yet in the short interval which elapses between
youth and age, and in which every animal is said to have life and identity,
he is undergoing a perpetual process of loss and reparation--hair, flesh,
bones, blood, and the whole body are always changing. Which is true not
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Summer by Edith Wharton: "Well, Mrs. Hobart, you got any breakfast for this
young lady? You can see she's cold and hungry."
Mrs. Hobart smiled on Charity and took a tin coffee-pot
from the fire. "My, you do look pretty mean," she said
compassionately.
Charity reddened, and sat down at the table. A feeling
of complete passiveness had once more come over
her, and she was conscious only of the pleasant animal
sensations of warmth and rest.
Mrs. Hobart put bread and milk on the table, and then
went out of the house: Charity saw her leading the
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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 King Henry VI by William Shakespeare: [Exeunt.]
SCENE VIII. Southwark.
[Alarum and retreat. Enter CADE and all his rabblement.]
CADE.
Up Fish Street! down Saint Magnus' Corner! kill
and knock down! Throw them into Thames! [Sound a parley.]
What noise is this I hear? Dare any be so bold to sound retreat
or parley when I command them kill?
[Enter BUCKINGHAM and old CLIFFORD, attended.]
BUCKINGHAM.
Ay, here they be that dare and will disturb thee.
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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 St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson: his, ain't you?'
'Yes, George, I am a friend of his,' said Romaine, and, to my great
surprise, laid his hand upon my shoulder.
'Well, it's this way,' said Rowley - 'Mr. Powl have been at me!
It's to play the spy! I thought he was at it from the first! From
the first I see what he was after - coming round and round, and
hinting things! But to-night he outs with it plump! I'm to let
him hear all what you're to do beforehand, he says; and he gave me
this for an arnest' - holding up half a guinea; 'and I took it, so
I did! Strike me sky-blue scarlet?' says he, adducing the words of
the mock oath; and he looked askance at me as he did so.
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