| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Theaetetus by Plato: perceives with what he knows (this is still more impossible); or when he
does not know one, and does not know and does not perceive the other; or
does not perceive one, and does not know and does not perceive the other;
or has no perception or knowledge of either--all these cases must be
excluded. But he may err when he confuses what he knows or perceives, or
what he perceives and does not know, with what he knows, or what he knows
and perceives with what he knows and perceives.
Theaetetus is unable to follow these distinctions; which Socrates proceeds
to illustrate by examples, first of all remarking, that knowledge may exist
without perception, and perception without knowledge. I may know Theodorus
and Theaetetus and not see them; I may see them, and not know them. 'That
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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 Wife, et al by Anton Chekhov: "I can't help worrying myself," I said irritably.
We were standing in the dimly lighted vestibule. Ivan Ivanitch
suddenly took me by the elbow, and, preparing to say something
evidently very important, looked at me in silence for a couple of
minutes.
"Pavel Andreitch!" he said softly, and suddenly in his puffy, set
face and dark eyes there was a gleam of the expression for which
he had once been famous and which was truly charming. "Pavel
Andreitch, I speak to you as a friend: try to be different! One
is ill at ease with you, my dear fellow, one really is!"
He looked intently into my face; the charming expression faded
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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 Island Nights' Entertainments by Robert Louis Stevenson: betwixt us."
"Very well," replied Keawe. "I have a curiosity myself. So come,
let us have one look at you, Mr. Imp."
Now as soon as that was said, the imp looked out of the bottle, and
in again, swift as a lizard; and there sat Keawe and Lopaka turned
to stone. The night had quite come, before either found a thought
to say or voice to say it with; and then Lopaka pushed the money
over and took the bottle.
"I am a man of my word," said he, "and had need to be so, or I
would not touch this bottle with my foot. Well, I shall get my
schooner and a dollar or two for my pocket; and then I will be rid
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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 Sanitary and Social Lectures by Charles Kingsley: late, I see. But this I will tell you; that when you grow up, and
have a vote and influence, it will be your duty, if you intend to
be a good citizen, not only not to put the water-supply of England
into the hands of fresh companies, but to help to take out of
their hands what water-supply they manage already, especially in
London; and likewise the gas-supply; and the railroads; and
everything else, in a word, which everybody uses, and must use.
For you must understand--at least as soon as you can--that though
the men who make up companies are no worse than other men, and
some of them, as you ought to know, very good men; yet what they
have to look to is their profits; and the less water they supply,
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