| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Alcibiades II by Platonic Imitator: all who are senseless are mad. For example, if among persons of your own
age or older than yourself there are some who are senseless,--as there
certainly are,--they are mad. For tell me, by heaven, do you not think
that in the city the wise are few, while the foolish, whom you call mad,
are many?
ALCIBIADES: I do.
SOCRATES: But how could we live in safety with so many crazy people?
Should we not long since have paid the penalty at their hands, and have
been struck and beaten and endured every other form of ill-usage which
madmen are wont to inflict? Consider, my dear friend: may it not be quite
otherwise?
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Wrong Box by Stevenson & Osbourne: the whole on a cart, and carry it to the chambers of a young
gentleman whom I know by sight.'
'Whom do you know by sight?' repeated Pitman.
'And what is more to the purpose,' continued Michael, 'whose
chambers I know better than he does himself. A friend of mine--I
call him my friend for brevity; he is now, I understand, in
Demerara and (most likely) in gaol--was the previous occupant. I
defended him, and I got him off too--all saved but honour; his
assets were nil, but he gave me what he had, poor gentleman, and
along with the rest--the key of his chambers. It's there that I
propose to leave the piano and, shall we say, Cleopatra?'
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: from which they descended upon Barsoom at long intervals.
Where they visited they wrought the most horrible atrocities,
and when they left carried away with them firearms and
ammunition, and young girls as prisoners. These latter,
the rumour had it, they sacrificed to some terrible god
in an orgy which ended in the eating of their victims.
I had an excellent opportunity to examine them, as the
strife occasionally brought now one and now another close
to where I stood. They were large men, possibly six feet and
over in height. Their features were clear cut and handsome
in the extreme; their eyes were well set and large, though a
The Gods of Mars |
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 Maitre Cornelius by Honore de Balzac: party. The mass was too compact to allow him to retrace his steps, and
he and his wife were therefore pushed onward to the door by the
pressure of the multitude behind them. The husband tried to pass out
first, dragging the lady by the arm, but at that instant he was pulled
vigorously into the street, and his wife was torn from him by a
stranger. The terrible hunchback saw at once that he had fallen into a
trap that was cleverly prepared. Repenting himself for having slept,
he collected his whole strength, seized his wife once more by the
sleeve of her gown, and strove with his other hand to cling to the
gate of the church; but the ardor of love carried the day against
jealous fury. The young man took his mistress round the waist, and
|
