| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Great Big Treasury of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter: a savory omelet? Sage and thyme, and
mint and two onions, and some
parsley. I will provide lard for the
stuff--lard for the omelet," said the
hospitable gentleman with sandy
whiskers.
Jemima Puddle-duck was a
simpleton: not even the mention of
sage and onions made her suspicious.
She went round the farm garden,
nibbling off snippets of all the
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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 Beasts of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs: in their moment of peril, no less than at the uniformly
brutal treatment it had been his wont to accord them,
they gloated upon the opportunity now offered them to
revenge themselves in part upon their hated employer.
Despite his prayers and grovelling pleas, therefore, they
hurled him bodily out upon the deck, delivering him to the
mercy of the fearful things from which they had themselves
just escaped.
Tarzan saw the man emerge from the forecastle--saw and
recognized his enemy; but another saw him even as soon.
It was Sheeta, and with grinning jaws the mighty beast
The Beasts of Tarzan |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Lysis by Plato: Hippothales, in which you should talk to your beloved, humbling and
lowering him, and not as you do, puffing him up and spoiling him. But I
saw that he was in great excitement and confusion at what had been said,
and I remembered that, although he was in the neighbourhood, he did not
want to be seen by Lysis; so upon second thoughts I refrained.
In the meantime Menexenus came back and sat down in his place by Lysis; and
Lysis, in a childish and affectionate manner, whispered privately in my
ear, so that Menexenus should not hear: Do, Socrates, tell Menexenus what
you have been telling me.
Suppose that you tell him yourself, Lysis, I replied; for I am sure that
you were attending.
Lysis |
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 A Start in Life by Honore de Balzac: Georges. Here, of course, I call myself simply Georges. The pacha gave
me a harem--"
"You have had a harem?" said Oscar.
"Were you a pacha with MANY tails?" asked Mistigris.
"How is it that you don't know," replied Georges, "that only the
Sultan makes pachas, and that my friend Tebelen (for we were as
friendly as Bourbons) was in rebellion against the Padishah! You know,
or you don't know, that the true title of the Grand Seignior is
Padishah, and not Sultan or Grand Turk. You needn't think that a harem
is much of a thing; you might as well have a herd of goats. The women
are horribly stupid down there; I much prefer the grisettes of the
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