| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Sportsman by Xenophon: [31] {oi . . . planetai}, see Ael. op. cit. xiii. 14.
Whilst being hunted they are most visible in crossing ground that has
been turned up by the plough, if, that is, they have any trace of red
about them, or through stubble, owing to reflection. So, too, they are
visible enough on beaten paths or roads, presuming these are fairly
level, since the bright hue of their coats lights up by contrast. On
the other hand, they are not noticeable when they seek the cover of
rocks, hills, screes, or scrub, owing to similarity of colour. Getting
a fair start of the hounds, they will stop short, sit up and rise
themselves up on their haunches,[32] and listen for any bark or other
clamour of the hounds hard by; and when the sound reaches them, off
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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 Soul of the Far East by Percival Lowell: evolution of these people seems suddenly to have come to an end in
mid-career, looked at more intimately it shows all the signs of
having fully run its course. Development ceased, not because of
outward obstruction, but from purely intrinsic inability to go on.
The intellectual machine was not shattered; it simply ran down.
To this fact the phenomenon owes its peculiar interest. For we
behold here in the case of man the same spectacle that we see
cosmically in the case of the moon, the spectacle of a world that
has died of old age. No weak spot in their social organism
destroyed them from within; no epidemic, in the shape of foreign
hordes, fell upon them from without. For in spite of the fact that
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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 A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: He had purchased, moreover, a handsome blue satin waistcoat,
fancifully enough embroidered: - this was indeed something the
worse for the service it had done, but 'twas clean scour'd; - the
gold had been touch'd up, and upon the whole was rather showy than
otherwise; - and as the blue was not violent, it suited with the
coat and breeches very well: he had squeez'd out of the money,
moreover, a new bag and a solitaire; and had insisted with the
FRIPIER upon a gold pair of garters to his breeches knees. - He had
purchased muslin ruffles, BIEN BRODEES, with four livres of his own
money; - and a pair of white silk stockings for five more; - and to
top all, nature had given him a handsome figure, without costing
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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 Tarzan the Untamed by Edgar Rice Burroughs: Kamerad!"
Tarzan grasped the man by the throat and drew his hunting
knife. Schneider's back was against the wall so that though
his knees wobbled he was held erect by the ape-man. Tarzan
brought the sharp point to the lower part of the German's
abdomen.
"Thus you slew my mate," he hissed in a terrible voice.
"Thus shall you die!"
The girl staggered forward. "Oh, God, no!" she cried.
"Not that. You are too brave -- you cannot be such a beast as
that!"
Tarzan the Untamed |
