| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Last War: A World Set Free by H. G. Wells: us. Once I saw very clearly a man's white face....
'All the while a group of labouring, half-submerged trees
remained ahead of us, drawing very slowly nearer. I steered a
course to avoid them. They seemed to gesticulate a frantic
despair against the black steam clouds behind. Once a great
branch detached itself and tore shuddering by me. We did, on the
whole, make headway. The last I saw of Vreugde bij Vrede before
the night swallowed it, was almost dead astern of us....'
Section 9
Morning found Barnet still afloat. The bows of his barge had
been badly strained, and his men were pumping or baling in
The Last War: A World Set Free |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Eryxias by Platonic Imitator: greatest value?
ERASISTRATUS: He does.
SOCRATES: And are not the healthy richer than the sick, since health is a
possession more valuable than riches to the sick? Surely there is no one
who would not prefer to be poor and well, rather than to have all the King
of Persia's wealth and to be ill. And this proves that men set health
above wealth, else they would never choose the one in preference to the
other.
ERASISTRATUS: True.
SOCRATES: And if anything appeared to be more valuable than health, he
would be the richest who possessed it?
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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 Manon Lescaut by Abbe Prevost: regretted Synnelet's death: instant suicide seemed the only
remedy for my woes.
"However, it was this very thought that quickly restored me to
my reason, and enabled me to form a resolution. `What,' said I
to myself, `die, in order to end my pain! Then there is
something I dread more than the loss of all I love! No, let me
suffer the cruellest extremities in order to aid her; and when
these prove of no avail, fly to death as a last resource!'
"I returned towards the town; on my arrival at home, I found
Manon half dead with fright and anxiety: my presence restored
her. I could not conceal from her the terrible accident that had
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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 Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, etc. by Oscar Wilde: any member of our family.'
'Well, so does the family doctor for that matter, Lord Canterville.
But there is no such thing, sir, as a ghost, and I guess the laws
of Nature are not going to be suspended for the British
aristocracy.'
'You are certainly very natural in America,' answered Lord
Canterville, who did not quite understand Mr. Otis's last
observation, 'and if you don't mind a ghost in the house, it is all
right. Only you must remember I warned you.'
A few weeks after this, the purchase was completed, and at the
close of the season the Minister and his family went down to
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